Why Is My Laptop Connected to 3 Networks?

Question

Hello, I have an inspiron 1720 that i use at school. for some reason, it always connects to two networks... network 3 and network 4. now, all of a sudden, it's created a new network and is connected to networks 3,4, and 5. whats the deal with that? i don't understand it. i tried unplugging it and plugging it back but that didn't do anything. deleted the connection but it keeps coming back. i'm connected to the school system through a local connection. any ideas on whats happening? i'd like to trim it down to a single network if thats possible... Thanks!

volcano11 · Answer

How do you know you are connecting to more than one network (i.e. where exactly do you see this)?  Are you connecting by wired etherent or wireless?  Is it possible that you are connected to the network by ethernet and your wireless network adapter is also connected to a network?  Which version of Windows are you running?   Steve

97xjsp · Answer

i'm running windows vista and i'm not connected to a wireless network. i'm connected to the university system through an ethernet cable so it shows up as a local connection. if i hover my mouse over the internet icon next to the clock on the task bar, a thing pops up that says
currently connected to:

Network 4
Access: Local and Internet
Network 5
Access: Local and Internet
Network 3
Access: Local and Internet

They also show up in the network and sharing center as public networks. i'm not positive but i think the globe on the network map at the top used to be non-clickable but now it is and i'm not sure if it has something to do with the new 5th network. i know that pc's are much more prone to viruses and i want to be sure it's not any more vulnerable. i dont think it is, all file sharing is blocked along with network discovery and all that jazz. it just seems odd to me that all of a sudden when i woke my computer up today, a window popped up asking me to configure network 5 while it was already connected to networks 3 and 4... i don't really like the network control center... maybe it's because i haven't really figured it out but it seems a little silly to me. I'm not too bad with computers and i can usually figure stuff out but i'm sick of messing with this ha ha. any advice/ ideas would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks

Message Edited by 97xjsp on 12-05-2007 08:37 PM

volcano11 · Answer

Sorry, if I had known you were using Vista, I never would have responded to your post.  I've never seen Vista, but it seems like they made it much more complicated than it really needs to be.   Hopefully, someone else who has more experience with Vista will jump in here and offer some advice.   Steve

NemesisDB · Answer

all i can say is that I've seen vista saying I was connected to two wireless networks at the same time, which as far as I know is completely impossible.  one of them was not even within range (school network that I had used earlier in the day).   the problem went away when I turned my wireless radio off, let the networks drop off, and then rebooted -- and then re-enabled the radio.   i am not a fan of the new interface.

tgsmith · Answer

97xjsp,   I'll echo NemisisDB's statement.  I am not a fan of the new interface.  Back to your problem.  Windows Vista is supposed to be intuitive. By that, I mean that it allows you to create network connections for Dial-Up, Cable or DSL modem with password, or VPN.     Vista is supposed to automatically sense and help you create connections to local networks, wireless networks, and connections to the Internet via wireless access points and hard-wired connections to switches, routers, Cable and DSL modems without passwords.    Vista gets confused when a wireless card is turned on and you're connecting via an ethernet cable.  Sometimes it won't connect to either.  Likewise, it will see all networks that are being used to get you from Point A, your laptop, to Point B, the Internet.  If you're using some of the P2P software such as Limewire or Frostwire, it may be including those also, even though those are supposedly 'hidden' networks that run in the background and share your music folder with others over the Internet.    Since we don't know the exact structure of your school's local network, or networks, it's hard to say why you're seeing more than one network.  It could be that you need to ask the system administrator of your school network.    For example, I had to rearrange the network switches in a client's hotel just so Vista users could connect to the Internet.  Each switch now goes directly to a commercial cable modem's router port.  Previously the switches were uplinked to each other.  Ran fine with XP.  No problems accessing the Internet.  Vista would only see local access.    Don't know if my ramblings shed any light on the subject other than Vista, like XP's early releases,  has us on a whole new learning curve.   Tony

97xjsp · Answer

well, it's back to only networks 3 and 4 right now. it's strange. i guess it's not really an issue, i'm just kind of picky about some stuff... do you forsee any issues other than the inconvenience of setting up the additional network? Thanks

tgsmith · Answer

97xjsp,   I'll be working on a totally Vista network tomorrow.  The client switched from DSL to Cable.  We're putting in a wireless access point and switching Cable to Static IP.  Noticed yesterday that some of the workstations were showing multiple networks after the switchover.  May have a more definitive answer by tomorrow evening.  Will try to give you an update on what I find.   Tony

tgsmith · Answer

97xjsp,   Well, installed the all Vista network today.  The laptop that was showing Network 3 and Network 4 was still doing it after switching the cable modem/router to a static IP.  Found out that Network 3 was the old DSL wireless network connection, and DUH, the cable modem installer had set the DSL modem/wireless router down on the floor, but had not unplugged it.  Turned it off, deleted the Network 3 connection in the Network and Sharing Center and I was left with just the Network 4 connection.    Don't know if this applies to your situation but you might take a close look at the detailed properties of your network connections; i.e., IP address, subnet, gateway, DNS1 and DNS2.  They may give you some clues.   Tony

tgsmith · Answer

97xjsp,   Same here.  No binary biddy is going to tell me I can't do it my way.   Good luck!   Tony

97xjsp · Answer

well, i just deleted all my connections and plugged the cable back in. network and network 2 popped up. in the same window that i deleted the connections, there was also an option to merge connections. i selected to merge the network connection and network 2 connection. Now it just says connected to a single network, local and internet. seems to be all good for now. i wasn't really worried about it in the first place, i just don't like it when things don't do what i want ha ha. Thanks for all the advice!

MoneyGuyBK · Answer

97xjsp;   Read this hi Bill   Currently I am running a Virtual Machine on my 720H2C So, in VM, I run Ubuntu for Folding@Home on Team_XPS   Ever since I installed VM, when I point the mouse to the Network icon in taskbar, I see 2 netwroks. One says connected to Local and Internet, the other says 'limited Connectivity'   the second one is for VM, I have had no issues with the setup.   Maybe if you ask that person if s/he has a setup as such?   Peace     Message Edited by MoneyGuyBK on 12-07-2007 07:02 PM Message Edited by MoneyGuyBK on 12-08-2007 01:43 PM

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Why Is My Laptop Connected to 3 Networks?

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