DIY Networks - Windows 7 Network Connections

Where to Create and Configure your Network Connections in Windows 7

Windows 7 is much simpler to navigate around than Windows Vista though not quite as simple as Windows XP. Creating new connections such as a dial-up connection or PPPoE connection is performed in the Network and Sharing Centre while configuring existing connections is done in Network Connections, which can be accessed from the Network and Sharing Centre. We shall document how to get to the Network and Sharing Centre and Network Connections on this page to avoid repetition throughout the Windows 7 sections of this site, once you have learned how to get to these important pages its easy to revisit them. There are many ways to access the Network and Sharing Centre and we shall demonstrate two of the easiest ways.

The absolute quickest way to get to the Network and Sharing Centre in Windows 7 is simply to click on your network connection icon attached to the taskbar on the bottom right hand corner of your screen next to the time. This little icon looks like a computer monitor. Just a single click on this icon will bring up a little box which tells you which network you are connected too and it has a link you can click- Open Network and Sharing Centre, click on this link are the Network and Sharing Centre will open up for you.

An alternate method is to open the Network and Sharing Centre up via the Control Panel. Click on the Start Menu on the bottom left hand corner of your screen on the task bar and locate Control Panel. Click on Control Panel.

When you open Control Panel you will see that it is divided into eight major categories, the second category down on the left hand side is Network and Internet. Immediately below that you will see a smaller link- View Network Status and Tasks. Click on View Network Status and Tasks and this will open up the Network and sharing Centre.

The Network and Sharing Centre in Windows 7 offers a much more user friendly and direct interface to control your network connections than earlier versions of Windows. In the Change your network settings section there are four options, the first two relate to creating new network connections and the second two are for configuration of file sharing. Set up a new connection or network is one option that we will certainly use on other pages of this site to document how to connect to the internet. To reconfigure your network adaptors click on the Change adapter settings link on the top left hand corner of the Network and Sharing Centre.

Having clicked on the change adapter settings link on the top left hand corner of the Network and Sharing Centre you will be presented with Network Connections. In Network Connections you will be able to edit your adapter settings and perform tasks such as specifying an IP address on your network connection or editing your dial-up number on your dial-up connection.