Armed with this knowledge perhaps I could thendiscern what I haveto change in orderfor the network to be 'identified' (soI can rename it).

Hi, How does the computer connect to Internet, via DSL or router? Please perform the following steps to troubleshoot the issue. 1. Bypass the router (if there is) and connect to cable modem directly for a test. 2. Temporarily turn off firewall on the machine and router (If it has). 3. Upgrade the NIC driver. 4. Restart the computer to Safe Mode with Networking to check the result. 5. Configure the connection to obtain an IP address automatically ======================================= a. Click "Start", input "NCPA.CPL" (without quotation marks) to Start Search bar and press "Enter". b. Right-click the network connection and click "Properties". If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation. c. Click to highlight "Internet Protocol Version 6 (TCP/IPv6)" and click "Properties". d. Check "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically". e. Click "OK". f. Click to highlight "Internet Protocol Version 4 (TCP/IPv4)" and click "Properties". g. Check "Obtain an IP address automatically" and "Obtain DNS server address automatically". h. Click "OK". i. Reboot the computer. What's the result now? Thanks, Novak

Hi Novak,thanks for troubling to help.Before I answer your questions [well briefly the first answer is that I connect to the internet via a Mobile Broadband Dongle - ie no router - and also to a LAN (via a crossover cable)]. [I note I have no trouble making these connnections, except for the fact that the connection to the LAN is classified as an Unidentified Network (with the result that the link (that one needs to have live if one is to be able to change the network's name from 'Unidentified Network' to something else) (like say 'Home LAN') is 'greyed out' ].So before I answer your questions I wonder if it would be helpful if I asked what is the issue you understand me to be concerned about? The issue I'm concerned about is that the link is 'greyed out' that one needs to have functioning if one is to be able to change the name from Unidentified Network to something else.Assuming this 'greying out' is by design I was hoping I could make the problem go away by getting the operating system to no longer qualify the LAN connection as an Unidentified Network. For that I thought it might be helpful if I knew what steps Windows 7 takes to arrive at the conclusion a network is 'unidentified'.Thank you for wrestling with this.de Sales