# [SOLVED] Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?



## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

Hello community,
I have a small setup for a home wireless connection. I am using a PC with a Lynksys wireless router, to connect a Dell laptop computer. I probably didn't set it up correctly from the get-go, but the laptop suddenly decided that the Local Area Connection status was *unplugged*. Is this strange or what? My PC is getting perfect service, and my laptop says that it's getting a status reading "excellent" under connectivity in my status bar.

So it's getting service, but... has no connection? Maybe somebody has had similar issue and resolved it before?


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

Could that be the wired connection that's unplugged? Does the laptop connect when you connect it with a cable to the router?

Start, Run, CMD to open a command prompt:

Type the following command:

*IPCONFIG /ALL*

Right click in the command window and choose *Select All*, then hit *Enter*.
Paste the results in a message here.

If you are on a machine with no network connection, use a floppy, USB disk, or a CD-RW disk to transfer a text file with the information to allow pasting it here.


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

*What cable to router?

This is basically what the prompt reads (I can't find my USBdrive, just jotted down some stuff):

Windows IP Configuration
WINS Proxy Enabled: No

Ethernet adapter Wireless Network Connection
Description: Intel(R)PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network

Connection
Dhcp Enabled: No

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection
Media State: Media Disconnection
Description: Broadcom 440x10/100 Integrated Cont

_does any of that help track the problem?_


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## BCCOMP (Jul 9, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

Could that be the wired connection that's unplugged? Does the laptop connect when you connect it with a cable to the router?
"Johnwill"

*What cable to router?
"pkraider502"

I think what Johnwill is saying is if you can get on the internet wirelessly, your local area connection is unplugged, because you are not connected to the internet via a cable (You are using the wireless connection). If you connect the laptop via a cable to your router you will see the local area connection is unplugged warning gone. In essense you have two ways to get on the net, Wirelessly and cable. Wirelessly you will get the warning (Local area connection is unplugged). With a cable connection the warning goes away because you are using the Ethernet adapter and not the wireless.
I could be misunderstanding the situation. I am sorry if I added any confusion to the matter.
Thanks,
Bill


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## 919263 (Mar 9, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*



pkraider502 said:


> *What cable to router?
> 
> This is basically what the prompt reads (I can't find my USBdrive, just jotted down some stuff):
> 
> ...



OK from what I understand this is what is going on....
You have a wireless connection to the Internet(Router) and you are able to browse the web and do all the fun things...
But at the same time you have this icon in the system tray that looks like 2 monitors, there is an "X" on there and it says that the network cable is unplugged....

As BCCOMP stated this is because you are not using the ethernet NIC jack for your connectivity.

This is just a nucence... and should not affect your internet access....
If you want this to go away... open network connections and disable the ethernet jack....
RT click My Network Places, go to properties....
You will see 2-3 network connections in there.... the one with the Ethernet Jack will have a small "X" on it, right click that and click on "Disable"
This will remove it from the system tray and stop giving the nasty & misleading message....
If in the future you do have to use that Ethernet jack again, follow the same process and just enable the connection.....
Hope this helps....

919263


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## BCCOMP (Jul 9, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

Pkraider502,
Please let us know if this is the situation. Are you able to get on wirelessly and if you connect to the internet hard wired does the warning message go away? Let us know, I have less than 24 hrs (military) to move and if you are still having problems I will POSt to others that can help you,
Thanks,
Bill


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

I apologize all... (I am replying to these posts via my PC)

Equipment:
Dell Windows XP PC, cable modem, Linksys Wireless-G router, Dell XP laptop.

1) PC Internet access is working perfectly thru modem
2) Laptop receiving signal from router; signal quality reads: "excellent"
3) When attempting to access browser on laptop: "Problem loading page/Server not found"
4) Two comps with "X" icon in tray reads:
Local Area Connection
A network cable is unplugged.
_This never used to be a problem. At one point a few days ago the wireless worked perfect._



Okay, when I hook my laptop straight into the router, the internet access works flawlessly, and if its unplugged again, it doesn't work. But still, it doesn't help because it's not wireless. Haha, how annoying!

Now that I know it's still possible for a connection, what should I do to get the wireless capability back?


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## BCCOMP (Jul 9, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

Disable the firewall and see if you can get on with the laptop. Also check the device manager for errors (yellow or red exclamation points). Post the results.
Thanks,
Bill


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

I removed the Firewall, but the connection still won't... connect.
There are no problem errors in my device manager.

Maybe there are options I have to change in the Local Area Connection Properties menu? That seems to be the only function to change any type of wireless connection setting. I just wouldn't know what to select/change.


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## tacobell (Aug 24, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

is there a little swith on the outside of the case on your laptop that disables/enables your wireless adapter?


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

No, but that would be so awesome if it was that easy tacobell. I really believe its something in the Local Area Connection Properties menu (maybe)... I just need to some help with configuring it.


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## tacobell (Aug 24, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

try disabling your local area connection and enabling your wireless network connection, then right-clock and hit repair. then right-click and hit properties and list the items that connection uses.i have 4 items on my wireless, but i cant have both the wireless and the local connections enabled at the same time.


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

Okay, I disabled the L.A.C. and enabled the W.N.C./repaired and this is the item list under properties:

Client Service for Netware
Client for Microsoft Networks
Intel Wireless Connection Agent
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Network
QoS Packet Scheduler
NWLink NetBIOS
NWLink IPX/SPX/NetBIOS
AEGIS Protocol (IEEE 802.1x)
WLAN Transport
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

Every box is checked except for "Intel Wireless Connection Agent"


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## tacobell (Aug 24, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

hmm the only things i have are:

Client for Microsoft Networks
File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Network
QoS Packet Scheduler
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)

if it were me, i would find a way to backup the other items you have listed and then uninstall(err not uninstall but uncheck em and uninstall if that doesnt work) them, unless someone can explain a little about them(not sure if you need them cause they might be causing the conflict, but i would wait to see if anyone can go into detail about some of those or you can do a lil research)


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

i selected only the four items, but it still didn't allow me access to the internet or remove the local area connection is unplugged icon. i'm pretty much out of my own ideas at this point and i still can't understand what the solution may be. i'm tryin day after day, but i don't want to screw anything up in the process!


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## johnwill (Sep 26, 2002)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

*TCP/IP stack repair options for use with Windows XP with SP2.*

*Start, Run, CMD* to open a command prompt.

Reset WINSOCK entries to installation defaults: *netsh winsock reset catalog*

Reset TCP/IP stack to installation defaults. *netsh int ip reset reset.log*

Reboot the machine.


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## pkraider502 (Aug 22, 2007)

*Re: Local Area Connection: UNPLUGGED?*

so before trying anything too drastic, i tried completely unplugging my internet cables from my modem and router. then i reconnected them, which in turn reset my wireless connection for me. it was easier than i thought, it just took a while to figure that it might not be the laptop, but the router itself causing the problems.

well anyway, my wireless works now! hooray! thanks for the assistance all


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