Windows XP connected to Windows7 "Unidentified Network"

Hi everybody... I got a problem from hell.... I purchased a laptop recently with Windows7 Home Premium. I discovered that the New Express slot did not allow for my previous laptops PCMCIA wireless modem to be fitted... no matter I bravely connected the two laptops using the old laptop running Windows XP Prof SP2 with a crossover cable and then setup the Internet sharing connection and stumbled across a working link to the Internet with my newer laptop... Happy days for a while, then with upgrades of Virus software and Windows updates being run on the newer laptop a mother of all problems broke the unthinkable "Unidentified network"... So off to SevensForum and to the rescue... or not... Discovered "Set Registry Editor" to "Public", "Private" or "Default not configured" .... so now I able to set the Home network or set Public network as I like, but the network remains unidentified and the link to the Internet connection has the little red cross the the globe icon is a bleak Grey color. This is too much for the troubleshooting, not able to identify as details reveal "No issues detected" :) I don't know what to say, please someone help, "Brink" got me this far... How does one add screen shots here? I suppose the easy way is to go buy another wireless modem that will fit in the express slot but that would be cheating...

I have the same thing. I have internet though. I guess it's just a glitch in the networking code.

Often times when this problem occurs it's because of a secondary gateway of 0.0.0.0 which isn't supposed to be there. In these instances it can help to input the correct default gateway manually into your IPv4 properties settings window. The link below shows you how to do this.

Windows 7 Unidentified Network, Limited Access, No Internet Connection Problem Resolved

Thanx, I'll give this a try...

Hi Chev65,

I tried the link but I think I did not explain my setup so clearly so I'll try again.

Older laptop with Windows XP SP2, fitted with Internet Service Provider's Wireless Modem, installed in the PCMCIA slot of old laptop. This I understand to be my broadband router serving as the network gateway. The two laptops are connected via a crossover cable. New laptop has Windows7.:)

Now the link you provided states that I should manually enter the Default Gateway in the Windows 7 Network Adapter's IPv4 setting.

So I use "ipconfig" on the old laptop to establish what the Wireless Modem (router or gateway) IP address is.

There is one problem though. When I disconnect from the ISP and reconnect my ISP provides another IP address, I'm not sure if there is a setting for this devices that will allow me to use the same IP address but I'll look into it. I doubt it though, as there are many subscriber's and we are able to travel Nationally here in South Africa and connect wirelessly at any location that has the Wireless network installed.

I am still at a loss as to why the link is now so difficult to setup. I know I stumbled across this setup when I initially purchased the laptop about 6 months ago, but it seemed so easy, I just read up about Internet Sharing, linked the two laptops with the cross over cable and used the old laptop to share the Internet connection... Seemed simple at the time and I was impressed at how Windows7 seemed to sniff out the link via this network and wham bam thank maam there a connection, but not anymore and I have no idea why....

I'll carry on fiddling and try different senarios to resolve this in the mean time but I'd still appreciate some help if there is...

Thanx

Hi Chev65,

I read further down the link and found the info I needed to resolve my issue with XP and Windows7....
I have both Laptops IP connections set to Obtain IP but one Static IP on the Laptop with the Gateway... I shared the Gateway Internet Conection and tha tha..... Window7 suddenly see home network and Internet, I tell you it's Voodoo this Windows7. I have no idea why it works but it works and I see a whole lot of people battling with the unknown factor of this problem. Someone has to explain carefully what Windows7 networking is all about and how it works because the current help files don't...

If someone could tell me how to post screen shots of my setup solution I will gladly try to explain how I again stumbled on the solution.....................................................