No SSID broadcast would not affect the driver. The broadcast only affects scanning, which is not needed to associate.
This may be a problem network-manager. ** Changed in: linux-source-2.6.20 (Ubuntu) Status: Needs Info => Rejected -- Centrino wireless networking does not connect (herd 5) https://launchpad.net/bugs/89493 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs