Create a direct shortcut to Network Connections
The new Network and Sharing Center in Windows Vista is great for the average Windows user but can be a huge headache for advanced users. When I need to make a change to my network settings I don’t want to be forced to go through the networking interface for the average non-technical users. I want to go right to the settings screen and make the change.
I am a big fan of the old Windows XP network approach where I could modify all of the network settings and connect to wireless network from the Network Connections screen. In Windows Vista, the Network Connections screen still exists, as shown above, but you have to go through the Network and Sharing Center screen first. Using a very useful explorer trick I discovered when playing with “::” and explorer class IDs, you can create a shortcut that will take you directly to the Network Connections screen.
1. Right click on the desktop and select New and then Shortcut.
2. In the location box, copy and paste explorer.exe ::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E} and hit Next.
3. Type in Network Connections as the name and Finish.
Your shortcut directly to Network Connections is now on your desktop. I like to create a copy in my quick launch bar for easy access. If you want to change the icon to the correct Network connections icon, the icon can be found in %SystemRoot%\system32\netshell.dll in the first position.
Tags: copy_and_paste, dll, easy_access, network_connections, network_settings, old_windows, system32, systemroot, Windows, windows vista, windows xp
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omf on 03 Sep 2007 at 10:49 am #
Yes, this is one of the many new features in Vista that seems tailored for newbies and provides no escape for non-newbies. To add insult to injury, the “Network and Sharing Center” takes a very long time to load.
A quicker way to make a shortcut to the old “Network Connections” control panel: get to the panel through the usual “N&SC” path, then drag the icon in the window’s address bar onto your desktop. A shortcut will be created.
If you want to have “Network Connections” back in the control panel where it belongs, just find this registry key:
HKSM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Current Version\Control Panel
Under this you’ll see a key cleverly named “Don’t Load” which contains several control panel DLL’s that the CP isn’t supposed to load. Just delete or rename the one for “Network Connections”, which is NCPA.CPL (I renamed it to “NCPA.CPL2″). Reload your control panel and voila!
omf on 03 Sep 2007 at 10:51 am #
Now all I want is to find a way to replace “Connect To” in Vista’s Start menu with “Network Connections”…
biniam on 08 Sep 2007 at 11:07 am #
can u show me the same of creating a direct shortcut to Wireless network connection using the same method?
Steve on 22 Mar 2008 at 7:18 pm #
Hey guys, I created a program that actually adds Network Connections to Control Panel in Windows Vista. Copy the following link into browser to download: “http://www.sevanstech.com/downloads/Vista%20Network%20Connections%20Enabler.exe”. Don’t worry it is virus-free, and installs instantly. Keywords: Make Vista Network Connections show up in Control Panel; Add Network Connections to Vista Control Panel; Enable Network Connections in Control Panel
IrfanK on 07 Nov 2009 at 5:12 pm #
wow how very stupidly complicated
I mean c’mon man it’s cool that you know explorer class IDs but you don’t have to brag about it.
Here is the simple aproach:
1. Open any explorer window
2. Type in “network connections” in the address bar
and that’s it, you can even add a shortcut the same way