0

A few months ago I stayed with a friend in another country for a couple of weeks and used their wired internet connection on my netbook. I don't recall if it was DSL or cablemodem.

I'm now staying with another friend in another country doing the same again using their DSL cable.

But Windows 7 keeps automatically trying to use the old connection and I can't find a way to either remove it completely or prevent it from starting by itself.

Both the old and new connections show up under "Network and Sharing Center / Your active networks". The old one now shows "Network 4" on the left side of this panel rather than its name. On the right side of the panel it does show its name but its "Access type" is "No Internet access".

When I click on "Connect or disconnect", "Currently connected to" shows both with "No Internet access" on the old one. The old one cannot be left- or right-clicked. Under "Dial-up and VPN" only shows the new connection.

Under "Network Connections" the old one is listed as "Realtek PCIe FE Family Controller" whereas the new one has "WAN Miniport (PPPOE)", which reveals some important difference I do not understand but hints that the old one is in some way at a deeper level required but insufficient on its own for connecting to the Internet, which requires the new one to participate".

Please help me make sense of this working but confusing mess.

3
  • an old wired connection shouldn't cause a problem. Windows does not attempt to connect to unconnected wired connections.
    – Ramhound
    Apr 23, 2014 at 0:36
  • It's annoying and confusing. You might not like to keep your system tidy but you shouldn't tell others not to try to keep theirs tidy. I also want to understand why it is like this. Apr 23, 2014 at 6:31
  • I am not sure what there is make your system tidy. A wired connection isn't saved except perhaps the firewall setting for that connection. If the problem is "Network 4" you can change the name
    – Ramhound
    Apr 23, 2014 at 10:06

0

You must log in to answer this question.

Browse other questions tagged .