Internet connection problems

[drhowarddrfine]

I have a working internet cable connection in my son's dorm room but, when I try and connect my Vista notebook, it can't find it, saying it's an "unknown network" though it identifies the adapter. Network settings say it's a local area connection but it should say internet. I can't find where to change that on the adapter or the connection setting but it seems to think the adapter is lan only.

EDIT: The actual setting is "local only" instead of "internet" in Network and Sharing Center

[DonRayner]

The connection between the computer and the cable modem is a local area connection. The computer won't see the internet until you establish the connection with the modem.

[drhowarddrfine]

What I'm talking about is, in Network and Sharing on my son's computer, it says "Access: Internet" but on mine it says "Access: Local". I don't know how to change it.

After some Googling, it appears this is a Vista bug if I understand what I've read.

[drhowarddrfine]

Bump.

My wife just went to Chicago. A friend of my son's is there and they both tried their laptops on his internet connection. Both get the same error and cannot connection.

After even more googling, this problem has been in Vista since Vista came out. The "fixes" given and Microsoft "knowledge" base links appear to help one but not many.

I think it may have to do with new "security" features added to Vista related to setting a network card to "private" or "public". This seems to be the common theme Microsoft tried to protect itself but it seems it has stumped Windows users.