this might be a stupid ? but i hope someone can help. the other day i lost the little icon in the lower right corner of my desktop that tells me when I’m connected to the internet. it just shows a x like I’m not connected but i am hardwired and wireless. it says that that service has been turned off. when i try to turn it on in network and sharing nothing happens. any help would be great. vista
Hi wadegreen ,
1st do not feel dumb, please 
That is a known problem. and there are cures and answers including the fact that you are using “hardwired and wireless” connection and you are probably using LAN as well Not sure about the latter, but you mentioned shared connection (do you need that? if you have router - you don’t)
Anyway, please start from this search phrase:
“Network connection icon shows x sign but I am connected”
You will find a lot, say this and the subsequent link
There are Vista references / symptoms & suggestions
My regards
p.s. !ot! stop using Vista it was never a decent OS and there is no cure for that 
well thanks ciber after some reading i think i understand. it seems to me that its a bug??? nobody really cares to solve the problem and its not really hurting anything??? now you can call me dumb… i really am in the fog yet but i will fig it out. thanks for sending me in the right direction…
sorry SIBER not ciber. now i really feel dumb
wow the more i read the more i worry. is this a virus? it seems someone does not like music or games…