Thanks for all the help guys. I will just stick with a shortcut in the start menu itself. Not quite as convenient as I'd like (am I really THAT lazy?) but it will get the job done.
use the alt menu (right click) and pick the location to pin it.
you only have two choices (Start menu or task bar) - you can't pin it to the right pane.
If it's pinned to the start menu, it's at least always in the left pane - you don't have to dig through the full menu
I turn off recent applications and pin things to the start menu or taskbar based on freq. of use - most used - taskbar, next things get pinned to the start menu. everything else I either use the start menu search or dig thru the start menus
This is a Registry hack that will give you right click access to the Network Connection folder by right clicking either the desktop Network Icon (if you have it on your desktop) or by right clicking the Network icon on the right side of the start menu:
Caution! Modifying the registry can damage your computer! Do a system restore first.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{F02C1A0D-BE21-4350-88B0-7367FC96EF3C}\shell\Network Connectionsl\command
REG_SZ rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL ncpa.cpl,,0
Now you'll see a Network Connections entry in the right click menu of the Network icon.
Loki
I greatly appreciate all the effort. I think I am content with just the shortcut, major registry changes simply for ocd convenience is way to finicky even for me!
I think you would be happy if the shortcut was pinned to the start menu in the area of the orange box (that is if you're not already doing that). You can even move the pinned item in the list (drag 'n drop)
To keep it clean I untick the "Keep recently used program on the taskber/startmenu properties.
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