Windows 7: Troubleshooting Networking - Checking the Connection Status

• Wired connection with Internet access— This state (see Figure 1) means that you have access to both the network and to the Internet via a wired network connection.

  Figure 1. The Network icon for a wired connection with Internet access.

  

• Wireless connection with Internet access— This state (see Figure 2) means that you have access to both the network and to the Internet via a wireless network connection.

  Figure 2. The Network icon for a wireless connection with Internet access.

  

• Connected, but with an error— This state (see Figure 3) means that you have access to the network, but either your computer cannot access the Internet, or you have limited access to the network.

  Figure 3. The Network icon for a connection that has either no Internet access or limited network access.

  

• Not connected— This state (see Figure 4) means that you are completely cut off from the network.

  Figure 4. The Network icon for a broken network connection.

  

Remember, too, that the Network and Sharing Center (click the Network icon and then click Open Network and Sharing Center) also shows the connection status graphically. For example, you can see in Figure 5 that when you have a network connection but no Internet access, the Network and Sharing Center displays a red X on the Internet part of the network map.

Figure 5. The network map for a network connection without Internet access.