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I just installed a fresh copy of Windows 7 Pro on a computer, and plug it into the network, and it gets labeled with "Unidentified Network"

I open up the command prompt, and check "ipconfig/all", and I am getting an IP address (10.0.0.63) and DNS server (10.0.0.5) info from the DHCP server (10.0.0.200), and when I attempt to "ping google.com" I get: Pinging google.com [72.14.204.99] - Reply from 10.0.0.63 Destination Host Unreachable" So I can talk to my local DNS server, resolving a domain name, but I cannot get outside of my network from only that PC.

I can ping my DNS server, and every other computer on the local network, but not my Gateway/Router/DHCP (10.0.0.200). So the Router is giving my computer an IP, but my computer cannot ping the device that is giving it an IP.

Is is the Windows 7 Unidentified Network label preventing my from getting outside my network, or is something else?

Also where can I find a good article explaining what this whole "Windows is identifying network" stuff is all about? Why can't it just get an IP address and be happy?

Edit:

When I set the IP statically instead of pulling from the DHCP server (using same values DHCP handed the PC), I get a dialog from Windows asking "Select a Location for the Network", with the choices Home/Work/Public. And now everything works fine, no more issues.

What is the deal with "Windows is identifying network" stuff?

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are you sure that other computers connected to this network is working ? – Sudantha Nov 18 '10 at 14:46
yes, other computers on same switch work fine – Joe Mako Nov 18 '10 at 15:06
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Identifying the network is so Windows can lower the firewall settings when you're on a home network (to allow file/print sharing, etc.), and raise them when you're on a public network like a wi-fi hotspot. – Stephen Jennings Nov 18 '10 at 15:41
and when it is "Unidentified", does that cause windows to block all traffic to the gateway? – Joe Mako Nov 18 '10 at 15:44
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2 Answers

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go into your Network and Sharing Center in Control Panel and see if you can change that unidentified network to a home network and then see if you can get online

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where can I find instructions on how to do this? – Joe Mako Nov 18 '10 at 15:34
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Do you have any VLANs set up on your switch? That could cause this issue.

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no VLANs on the network – Joe Mako Nov 18 '10 at 15:18
Did you check for proxy setup on the computer? – David Nov 18 '10 at 15:21
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