I’d be very grateful if someone could tell me if there is an easy way to connect / disconnect an ethernet connection in Windows ME, or, alternatively, to enable / disable the ethernet card itself. In XP it’s simple: I can access all of my connections (ethernet, dial-up, and wireless) via Control Panel > Network Connections, or, easier still, call up a Connection Status dialogue box that contains a ‘Disable’ button by clicking on the relevant icon in the system tray. It’s also easy in XP to add connection shortcuts to the desktop which I simply have to double-click to enable any connection. In ME, however, a connection icon appears in the system tray only when I connect to the internet via dial-up, and there’s no equivalent to XP’s Network Connections folder where all connections are displayed. In fact, I can’t find any way of disabling my ethernet connection in ME short of locating the card in Device Manager and turning it off. Unplugging the cable isn’t an option because it’s too awkward to get to easily. I’m keen to find a solution to this, if there is one, because I don’t want my internet connection to be permanently active. All suggestions gratefully received.

How are you connecting? Cable modem? DSL? Life is more painless for those who are brainless.

Ethernet cable (i.e. cat-5)

That doesn't answer my question. :) Or, are you on a LAN at work? Life is more painless for those who are brainless.

You don't get such functionality in ME. The nearest I've seen is making a short cut to winipcfg program (to desktop or quick launch bar). Bring it up when needed. To disable the network connection, click Release. To enable the network connection, click Renew. winipcfg.exe lives in c:\windows. You can also access it via Start >> Run and typing winipcfg.

"because I don’t want my internet connection to be permanently active." Turn off your modem? A firewall is another solution - - while it won't disable the connection, it will allow a degree of traffic control Censorship is the tool of those who have the need to hide actualities from themselves and others. Their fear is only their inability to face what is real.

Thank you very much for your very helpful – and very quick – replies. Thanks especially to Viking, whose winipcfg solution does the job – with just one snag: when I reboot, the computer automatically connects to my router, even if I’ve ‘released’ before shutting down. Is there any way round this? In response to other questions & comments. The ethernet cable connects me to a domestic DSL broadband router. Turning the modem off is not an option because other computers use it. I have a firewall but would still prefer not to have a permanently active connection. Thanks again.