Solved Network icon does not indicate whether it is enabled within

[jon80]

Last week, I did not realize I had disabled the network card interface on Windows 7 - within system tray near the clock and calendar, since I had gotten used to an icon which changed appearance and color when this was disabled in Windows XP.

Therefore it would be suggested that UI designers improve the icon of the network card(s) to indicate whether they are enabled or not. I hope I posted this to the right forum.

 

[TVeblen]

The network icon in the taskbar changes to show connectivity status in Windows 7.

There is one icon for wired connection, one for wireless. A big red X if there is no connectivity. A spinning blue orb if it is searching for connections. A yellow triangular symbol if there are connectivity problems.

 

[jon80]

The network icon in the taskbar changes to show connectivity status in Windows 7.

There is one icon for wired connection, one for wireless. A big red X if there is no connectivity. A spinning blue orb if it is searching for connections. A yellow triangular symbol if there are connectivity problems.

I think this is what happens on Windows Server 2008, not on my version of Windows 7.

 

[alphanumeric]

The network icon in the taskbar changes to show connectivity status in Windows 7.

There is one icon for wired connection, one for wireless. A big red X if there is no connectivity. A spinning blue orb if it is searching for connections. A yellow triangular symbol if there are connectivity problems.

I can confirm that that is the way it works on my Windows 7 PC also.

 

[DavidE]

I disabled my network connections in Win 7 32 Bit Ultimate and this is what I see.

Last week, I did not realize I had disabled the network card interface on Windows 7 - within system tray near the clock and calendar, since I had gotten used to an icon which changed appearance and color when this was disabled in Windows XP.

Therefore it would be suggested that UI designers improve the icon of the network card(s) to indicate whether they are enabled or not. I hope I posted this to the right forum.

Seven Forums is an independent site dedicated to helping anyone using Windows 7 with issues, questions, etc.

This is not a Microsoft site, so any request for changes to Windows should be posted on an MS site for possible consideration.
I would not expect a change request like this to be considered (MS has already released Win 8) but that's just my opinion.

 

[lehnerus2000]

It does change

Whilst it's not as good as the XP indicator, it does have various condition indicators.

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You'll notice that Windows 7 thinks my Network is connected but broken.

When I run VMware Workstation, half the time the indicator suggests that there is a problem.
In reality, anything that doesn't depend on Windows "opinion" of the network condition works just fine (i.e. Internet, UNC connections).