Spurious "Network Connections" window

[Guest]

Even though I am already connected to the internet through my wireless
gateway using cable, sometimes when I do such things as click my e-mail on my
ISP page, I get a "Network Connections" window that says "choose a network
connection.."
How do I stop this?

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Even though I am already connected to the internet through my wireless
gateway using cable, sometimes when I do such things as click my e-mail on my
ISP page, I get a "Network Connections" window that says "choose a network
connection.."
How do I stop this?

In Internet Explorer, click Tools | Internet Options | Connections,
and specify "Never dial a connection".
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Thank you, that seems to work, not only for IE but for Firefox as well, which
surprises me.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Thank you, that seems to work, not only for IE but for Firefox as well, which
surprises me.

You're welcome. That's a global setting that applies to Internet
access by all programs. You don't have to use IE to make the setting.
You can also get to it through Control Panel | Network and Internet
Connections | Internet Options | Connections. Note that the window
title is "Internet Properties", and it doesn't say anything about IE.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

Although this fix works, I have the problem that that box keeps getting
unchecked by some mysterious force, and I have to keep checking it.

 

[Steve Winograd [MVP]]

Although this fix works, I have the problem that that box keeps getting
unchecked by some mysterious force, and I have to keep checking it.

Have you installed any Internet-related software that might be
changing the setting every time it runs? If you have a dial-up ISP,
check for software from it.
--
Best Wishes,
Steve Winograd, MS-MVP (Windows Networking)

Please post any reply as a follow-up message in the news group
for everyone to see. I'm sorry, but I don't answer questions
addressed directly to me in E-mail or news groups.

Microsoft Most Valuable Professional Program
http://mvp.support.microsoft.com

 

[Guest]

I have used ATT Connection Manager for a long time, have not changed it.
This all started a couple of weeks ago when I ran Network Setup Wizard to
help configure my local wireless network. I was carefull to check all the
boxes that indicated I was using a gateway to a cable connection.

 

[Guest]

I am having the same problem with a Thinkpad running WinXP SP2. I have tried
applying the same fix - 'In Internet Explorer, click Tools | Internet Options
| Connections, and specify "Never dial a connection".' I went a step further
and "locked" this into place by using the Group Policy editor to manage that
computer's Local Computer Policy and enabling the setting for "Disable
changing connection settings".

However, the user of this laptop is experiencing a very simliar problem to
that reported by KenJ. Even though their ThinkPad is connected to our
company's LAN, they will periodically get the "Choose a network connection"
dialogue box while browsing the web. If they simply dismiss this prompt
without selecting anything, they can continue to browse the web. Their
internet (and network) connectivity is intact. Today, this user reported that
this problem was happening frequently.

Whenever I go to troubleshoot this and examine Tools | Internet Options |
Connections - I see that "never dial a connection" is still checked off, and
in fact this whole screen is in a disabled state, as would be expected by
applying the Group Policy setting described above.

How do I stop these annoying and spurious "Choose a network connection"
prompts?