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Lost Connection Icon

buddy
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎27-01-2010

Lost Connection Icon

I have recently installed Norton 2010 in XP & have just noticed that my connection icon is missing from the notification area.  I have found a solution I printed from Huh which tells me to go to Control Panel > Network Connections then right click on the Plusnet icon.  Problem - I don't have a plusnet icon there or anywhere else I could think of looking.  I am puzzled because I ahve no problem with my Web / Email connections?  So, please, (1) any ideas as to how/where I find the plusnet icon & (2) how do I get my connection icon up and onto the notification area?
Prior to Norton I had updated to Kaspersky 2010 which gave we umpteen problems, I uninstalled that and now with Norton all is back to normal except for the above.  I may be unfair it may have nothing to do with Norton.
10 REPLIES 10
spraxyt
Resting Legend
Posts: 10,063
Thanks: 674
Fixes: 75
Registered: ‎06-04-2007

Re: Lost Connection Icon

Assuming you are using a router (as opposed to a USB modem) you won't have a Plusnet icon (as such). What you should have in Network Connections is a Local Area Connection icon. To show the icon for this in the notification area
Right-click the Local Area Connection icon and select Properties.
Tick the box at the bottom which reads "Show icon in notification area when connected".
Also tick "Notify me when the connection has limited or no connectivity" (which might already be ticked).
Now click OK and the Network Connection icon should appear in the notification area.
David
buddy
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎27-01-2010

Re: Lost Connection Icon

Hi Spraxyt,
Thanks for that.  I had noticed that myself & tried it.  However when I put the Local Area on the notifcation area  and opened it it showed me a speed of 100Mbps that was way in excess of that obtained when I did a speed check.  Before when I clicked the icon it brought-up the speeds which were more or less in line with those of the speed check. On this basis I assumed that this 'new' notification was wrong.  I still don't understand why there should be such a difference in the speeds and the format of the 'report'  Huh
Strat
Community Veteran
Posts: 31,320
Thanks: 1,609
Fixes: 565
Registered: ‎14-04-2007

Re: Lost Connection Icon

The speed shown by the icon in the notification area is the speed between your computer and the router.
It is not an indication of your broadband speed.
Windows 10 Firefox 109.0 (64-bit)
To argue with someone who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead - Thomas Paine
gofaster
Rising Star
Posts: 369
Thanks: 16
Registered: ‎01-08-2007

Re: Lost Connection Icon

Hi buddy,
Have you recently changed from using a USB modem to using a router?
HPsauce
Pro
Posts: 6,998
Thanks: 146
Fixes: 2
Registered: ‎02-02-2008

Re: Lost Connection Icon

You can also get an "internet" icon in the System Tray if you enable UPnP, though there are some who say you shouldn't do this for security reasons. This will show your download speed when hovering the mouse over it.
Enabling UPnP on your PC (if XP) and router will cause an extra connection to appear in "Network Connections", you can then change its properties to show an icon in the notification area. (Not sure which routers this works with though)
buddy
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎27-01-2010

Re: Lost Connection Icon

I think this is what I must have had before because when I hovered over the icon I got the download speed or I could click on the icon to open a page giving the speed.
The only thing I have done (to my knowledge) that could have changed things is the uninstalling of Kaspersky and installation of Norton 2010.  If you say there is a concern about the security risk with UPnP then Norton may have taken matters out of my hands and disabled it.  I have had my BTVoyager router for a couple of years so that can't be the culprit I think it must be Norton be ultra safe - which perhaps is not a bad thing!  If it is Norton then if I enable UPnP the odds are that Norton will trip in again so it may be a no win case.  I will think about it, but it was handy being able to do a quick check of the speed or lack of it!!!
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Lost Connection Icon

I suspect you're right and Norton may well be the cause, though you can check your connection speed quickly by logging on to the router's page - if you bookmark it and save a username and password it should open straight away, and if the connection stats aren't on that page then they should only be a click away.
I realise it's not as convenient but it is at least a workaround.
buddy
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎27-01-2010

Re: Lost Connection Icon

Thanks for the suggesting that I go via my BT Voyager.  The only problem is that I can't find it anywhere.  I've tried 'My Network Places', Network Connections  and 'Device Manager' etc., and I can't find it listed anywhere.  Does this mean I have to do some re-installations?  Sometimes pen, paper and Royal Mail feel a quite attractive option!
orbrey
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Plusnet Alumni (retired)
Posts: 10,540
Registered: ‎18-07-2007

Re: Lost Connection Icon

If it's a voyager, and it's still on the default IP (which I suspect it will be) then I think it can be found at http://192.168.1.1
If not, open a command prompt (start -> run -> type in 'cmd' and hit enter or click the Run button ) and then type 'ipconfig' at the prompt in the new window you should get all the information relating to your network connections.
The value you're looking for is 'Default Gateway' - this is the IP address for your router, and what you should type into the address bar of your browser.
You shouldn't need to reinstall anything, hopefully the above will help. Please post back if not and we'll see what we can do.
jim:green url fixed mod:end
buddy
Newbie
Posts: 7
Registered: ‎27-01-2010

Re: Lost Connection Icon

Thanks, I've got it & it works!  Not as ideal as I had it prior to Norton but OK.....  I don't regret switching to Norton from Kaspersky that was causing me umpteen problems despite 'repair' after 'repair'.
Thanks again to all concerned.