The deployment of mobile ad-hoc networks involves several configuration steps, which complicate research efforts and hinder user interest. This problem prompts for new approaches offering full autoconfiguration of terminals at the different network layers involved. In this paper we propose a novel solution for the autoconfiguration of IEEE 802.11 based MANETs that relies on SSID parameter embedding. Our solution allows users to join an existing MANET without resorting to any additional technology, and even in the presence of encrypted communications. Experimental testbed results using a real implementation of the proposed solution show that it introduces significant improvements compared to other existing solutions, allowing nearby stations to be configured in about two seconds, and also enabling multi-hop dissemination of configuration data to take place quickly and efficiently.