Why Does My Computer Say "Network Cable Unplugged"?

You may see an icon with a red x on it at the bottom right of your computer screen, and when you move your mouse over it it says, "Network Cable Unplugged".  This is normally nothing to be concerned about - all it's telling you is your computer has an Ethernet network card and you're not using it.  (The Ethernet card gives you the ability to connect your computer to another computer or networking device in your home via a cable.) 

So, if you only have one computer and don't need to connect it to any kind of networking device (such as a wireless bridge or DSL modem), how do you get rid of this annoying little icon?  In Windows XP, click Start, Control Panel.  If you see a blue background, click "Switch to Classic View" on the top left.  Double-click the Network Connections icon, and in the window that appears, right-click the Local Area Connection icon.  Click "Disable" on the menu that pops up, and the icon will be gone.

If you do have your computer wired to another computer or networking device and are seeing this message, it means your computer and the device you have it connected to are not talking to each other.  This could indicate a problem with the other device, the cable, or your Ethernet card.