For the record on running XP pro. I should also mention that extra icons in the system tray get on my nerves. Anyways, this computer is on a wireless network, which means from time to time it drops the connection, be it because the router gets messed up or I move the computer out of range and back in or whatever. So when the connection comes back I always have an extra icon in the system tray. It tells me that a network cable is unplugged and it’s got a big X over it. Since I’m not using any network cables I usually go into My Network Places and disable it and it goes away. But I’d like to either delete it, or make it stay disabled. Now my orginal plan was to delete ALL the network connections except the wireless one but when I right click on them delete is ghosted and I can’t click on it. So all I can do is disable it, which only get’s it out of view until the next time I reconnect, at which point it undisable’s itself, and then complains cuz it doesn’t have connection. Anyways as I’m typing this I relize that I probably shouldn’t delete the extra connections, becuase If I ever don’t have a wireless connection available, but I do have a wired connection (ethernet, 1394 etc) I won’t have to re-setup everything, the computer should just figure it out and use it. So my question is, is there away to disable the connections I don’t use and keep them that way? Does this all make sense???
Go to your Start menu, then Control Panel, then Network Connections. If you want to get rid of each of the icons, right click on each one and click Properties. At the bottom, uncheck “Show icon in notification area when connected.”
I’m not clear on whether or not this is what you’re saying you’ve done already, but it worked on my dad’s laptop when I was setting up his network for him.
Yes I did do that. The thing is, since the wireless connection is connected, and there are no physicaly wired connections the computer considers them “unconnected” and therefore puts the icon with the red X over it in the system tray. When I see it, I have to go to My Network Connections and disable that connection.
Did you restart the computer after you made that change?
Lots of times. Since I only recently got the computer I’ve reset it ALOT of times with all the changes and settings I’ve made.
Right click on the taskbar, select “properties”. On the taskbar tab, check "Hide inactive icons and click “customize” next to it. Select the icon(s) that you never was to see again (one by one) and say “always hide”.
-lv
Thank you, I never noticed that option.
Another nifty one is: Auto Hide the Taskbar. Only comes up when you put your mouse in that area.
Wait nevermind, that didn’t do the trick. I wasn’t aware that that was the option that put that little arrow thingy in there. I don’t like that little arrow thingy in there. Also I’m I don’t want to use autohide. Does anyone know of away to permenantly disable a network connection.
If I disable my wired connection, it stays disabled between reboots. I have to manually reenable it, as far as I can remember.
I suppose if it doesn’t stay disabled, you could go into Device Manager and disable all the hardware for your various wired connections (don’t delete it, just disable). That should prevent Windows from trying to make connections. You can just go in and reenable one if you ever need it.
From microsoft.com
To disable a network component
- Open Network Connections.
- Right-click the connection on which you want to disable a network component, and then click Properties.
- Do one of the following:
* If this is a local area connection, on the General tab, in This connection uses the following items, clear the check box next to the client, service, or protocol you want to disable.
* If this is a dial-up, VPN, or incoming connection, on the Networking tab, in Use these components with this connection, clear the check box next to the client, service, or protocol you want to disable.