Solved Internet Taskbar Icon shows Ethernet unplugged when connected via wifi

[NickFizzer]

As stated in the title, the Network icon on the taskbar in the bottom right, always shows the disconnected Ethernet, even while I am connected to wifi. I've also tried connecting it via the Ethernet port, and it still shows the disconnected Ethernet icon. Also, not sure if this is related or not, but at every boot, windows tries to install an unidentified-unnamed device. I will post screenshots of the problems.

Here's the screenshots.

 

[chev65]

As stated in the title, the Network icon on the taskbar in the bottom right, always shows the disconnected Ethernet, even while I am connected to wifi. I've also tried connecting it via the Ethernet port, and it still shows the disconnected Ethernet icon. Also, not sure if this is related or not, but at every boot, windows tries to install an unidentified-unnamed device. I will post screenshots of the problems.

Here's the screenshots.

If you can post a screen shot of your ipconfig/all it will help me to see the adaptor that is causing the problem.

 

[NickFizzer]

Here is the output from Command Prompt after using ipconfig /all

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.1.7601]
Copyright (c) 2009 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Users\Nick>ipconfig /all

Windows IP Configuration

Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : Nick-PC
Primary Dns Suffix . . . . . . . :
Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Hybrid
IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
DNS Suffix Search List. . . . . . : hsd1.fl.comcast.net.

Ethernet adapter Local Area Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : ocps.k12.fl.us
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Con
troller (NDIS 6.20)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 10-BF-48-27-3E-BE
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection 2:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft Virtual WiFi Miniport Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 22-B9-A5-F6-1C-F5
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Wireless LAN adapter Wireless Network Connection:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.fl.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Qualcomm Atheros AR9485WB-EG Wireless Net
work Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : E0-B9-A5-F6-1C-F5
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::2ce4:8002:9501:ef24%182(Preferred)

IPv4 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.187(Preferred)
Subnet Mask . . . . . . . . . . . : 255.255.255.0
Lease Obtained. . . . . . . . . . : Saturday, November 10, 2012 12:17:48 AM
Lease Expires . . . . . . . . . . : Sunday, November 11, 2012 11:19:41 AM
Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCP Server . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
DHCPv6 IAID . . . . . . . . . . . : 199276965
DHCPv6 Client DUID. . . . . . . . : 00-01-00-01-18-06-ED-C6-10-BF-48-27-3E-BE

DNS Servers . . . . . . . . . . . : 192.168.0.1
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Enabled

Ethernet adapter Bluetooth Network Connection:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Bluetooth Device (Personal Area Network)
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : E0-B9-A5-F7-55-75
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : Yes
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Local Area Connection* 20:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter isatap.hsd1.fl.comcast.net.:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . : hsd1.fl.comcast.net.
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

Tunnel adapter Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface:

Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Teredo Tunneling Pseudo-Interface
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes
IPv6 Address. . . . . . . . . . . : 2001:0:4137:9e76:149f:274f:bbc4:6c2a(Pref
erred)
Link-local IPv6 Address . . . . . : fe80::149f:274f:bbc4:6c2a%319(Preferred)

Default Gateway . . . . . . . . . : ::
NetBIOS over Tcpip. . . . . . . . : Disabled

Tunnel adapter isatap.ocps.k12.fl.us:

Media State . . . . . . . . . . . : Media disconnected
Connection-specific DNS Suffix . :
Description . . . . . . . . . . . : Microsoft ISATAP Adapter #4
Physical Address. . . . . . . . . : 00-00-00-00-00-00-00-E0
DHCP Enabled. . . . . . . . . . . : No
Autoconfiguration Enabled . . . . : Yes

 

[chev65]

The red X is just Windows letting you know there is a network adaptor that isn't plugged in.

You just need to disable the unused Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet adaptor by going into Device Manager then right click it and choose disable. This will keep the red X from appearing. Just remember to enable it again if you need to use a wired connection.

I'm not sure which adaptor Windows is trying to install the drivers for on start up, it apparently can't find the drivers for one of your adaptors, you might try disabling the Bluetooth Ethernet adaptor in Device Manager>Network Adaptors' to see if that helps.

In Device Manager, you may need to go to the View tab and then click on "Show Hidden Devices" in order to see them all.

 

[NickFizzer]

After disabling the recommended Ethernet adapter, as well as the Bluetooth adapters, and restarting my computer, the icon is still there. I enabled the "Show Hidden Devices" option, and took a screenshot of the Network Devices. Posted below..

 

[chev65]

If the error message was from the Ethernet adaptor that should have fixed the problem.

Since it's not fixed I would say there are some other adaptors causing the problem.

I would suspect that all the extra Avast NDIS filter mini ports could be part of the problem so you might try disabling all the Avast adaptors and see if it has any effect on the problem.

 

[NickFizzer]

Unfortunately, disabling anything with Avast in the name also didn't help, Would it be bad to disable everything, other than the wifi adapter of course, to see if anything fixes it? Or may that cause some problems..?

 

[chev65]

This network icon disconnected problem might also be from a network printer or some other connected networked device, possibly the Bluetooth device that is not plugged in to an Ethernet connection or doesn't have the correct software installed or is using wireless instead to connect.

You might try to uninstall the Bluetooth device software then check to see if the problem persists.

You will usually see a yellow triangle when drivers aren't installed on a device.

 

[NickFizzer]

Nothing is working.. :/

 

[NickFizzer]

Randomly, the problem just stopped. Not sure what fixed it, or what caused it.

 

[chev65]

Randomly, the problem just stopped. Not sure what fixed it, or what caused it.

I'm pretty sure it was disabling the unused Atheros AR8151 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet adaptor and it probably required a reboot.