Windows 7 - No Connections Are Available

[The Merg]

I am using Windows 7 64-bit Home Premium. I have had this issue for a while and cannot seem to get it resolved. While the issue has not caused me any problems with working on my network/Internet, it is an annoying bug.

When I click on the Network icon on my system tray, I am told that there are no connections available. The Network icon itself though is showing that I am connected. I can access the Internet and my network without issue. I have two LAN adapters in my PC and the issue occurs with both of them. I have tried updating the drivers, uninstalling and reinstalling, disabling and enabling, all to no avail.

Going into the Network and Sharing Center shows that I am not connected to any network. If I pull up the Network Map, it shows my other computers, but that there is no connection to the Internet.

Does anyone have any idea how to fix this issue? I cannot seem to find a resolution on the 'net.

I've attached some screen shots as to what I see.

Edit: Okay, I apparently cannot post attachments for some reason. I'll post them elsewhere and link to them shortly.

Thanks,
Merg

 

[mammador]

Can the NICs be seen in Control Panel?

Do you have any motherboard problems?

 

[Danimal1209]

How are you connected? Wifi? Hardwired?

 

[The Merg]

The NICs can be seen fine in control panel. I am hardwired to a switch to the router. I have tried bypassing the switch as well to no avail. I have also tried using a wireless adapter and have the same issue with that as well. With the wireless adapter, the wireless network icon in the system tray shows a red X and if I click on it, it says that I am not connected, however, next to my wireless network signal strength, it says that I am connected.

I'm thinking that some service with Windows is not configured correctly or some registry setting is corrupt. I have performed a Repair Install to no avail.

- Merg

 

[The Merg]

Well, I finally resolved the issue and figured that I'd post my resolution here so that others will not have to go through this problem...

This was posted over at Microsoft Technet back in February 2010:

I found a solution for (my version of) this problem. My tray icon never showed the red X, but if I clicked on the icon, the popup showed a bigger icon with a red X, and said "Not connected". As in your case, Internet worked, but I'm unable to setup a VPN connection because it insists on using a non-existent modem, obviously because I'm "not connected" (which I am).

I monitored the processes running the NlaSvc and Netprofm services (using ProcMon), and noticed that both were denied read/write access to subkeys within the HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\NetworkList hierarchy.


The processes were running as Network Service and Local Service, respectively, so I tried adding full access for these service accounts to the entire subkey mentioned above. Notice that permissions are not automatically inherited in the registry, so you may need to explicitly "replace all child object permissions with inheritable permissions from this object".


Within seconds, Network and Sharing Center tells me I'm connected to my domain. Yay!
A reboot was required to fix the tray icon and its popup.

Basically, find the NetworkList tree in the Registry, right-click on it and select Permissions. Click the Add button and enter in the user name of "Network Service". After selecting OK, be sure to update the permissions for the new user for "Full Control" and "Read". Repeat the user addition for "Local Service". Click on the Advanced button and check the box for "Replace all child object permissions from this object". Select Apply. Exit on out of the dialog boxes. Restart the computer and the Network icon and Network and Sharing Center should report the correct information.

HTH,
Merg