Shortcut to Network Connection

  • Thread starter Thread starter null
  • Start date Start date
N

null

Can someone tell me how to create a shortcut--or, more specfically, what
command line to use--to open a specific connection's properties?

I am not talking about opening the "Network Connections" folder in an
Explorer window. I am talking about opening the "<connection name>
Properties" dialog that appears if a connection is right clicked, and
Properties is selected.

I doubt there is a way to do it, but you never know...
 
Right click My Network Places and select Properties. Right click the Network Connection in question and select Create Shortcut. You'll be told it can't be created there, and would you like to create it on the Desktop.
 
Thank you. I should have worded my question better than I did. I had
already managed to create a shortcut using that method, but what I need
is to be able to run a command line that does the same thing. The
shortcut works, but it doesn't have a "normal" Target text box that can
be copied and used elsewhere. What it does have is some sort of GUID
string, but manually typing it and submitting it on a command line
doesn't work (not surprisingly).
 
I haven't been able to track it down. The GUID tracks to a CLSID that points to the AppID

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{27AF75ED-20D9-11D1-B1CE-00805FC1270E}

Which is NetMan. I'm assuming this is the NETMAN.DLL in the Windows\System32 folder, but have been unable to find any RUNDLL32 command reference for it.
 
Hi Doug,

This may not be much help, but here it is anyway.

Local Area Connection Status apparently runs under explorer.exe , not
rundll32.exe.

Here's why I think that.

Open Local Area Connection Status, then open Task Manager on Applications
tab, right click Local Area Connection Status, select Go To Process and
explorer.exe is highlighted under Processes tab.

Open Local Area Connection Status.
Open a command prompt and type the following command:

tasklist /m /fi "IMAGENAME eq rundll32.exe" >C:\rundll32.txt

INFO: No tasks running with the specified criteria. Is what you get and
C:\rundll32.txt is empty.

Then just to show that the command actually works, open Date and Time
Properties.
Open a command prompt and type the following command:

tasklist /m /fi "IMAGENAME eq rundll32.exe" >C:\rundll32.txt

Then open C:\rundll32.txt, this is what you get:

rundll32.exe
1820 ntdll.dll, kernel32.dll, msvcrt.dll, GDI32.dll, ADVAPI32.dll,
RPCRT4.dll, USER32.dll, IMAGEHLP.dll, shell32.dll, SHLWAPI.dll,
comctl32.dll, comctl32.dll, ole32.dll, timedate.cpl, IMM32.dll, UxTheme.dll,
w32time.dll, MSVCP60.dll, WS2_32.dll, WS2HELP.dll, NETAPI32.dll,
iphlpapi.dll, USERENV.dll, Secur32.dll
-----

The Target for my Open Local Area Connection shortcut is
{BA126ADB-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E} and like you stated, it tracks down
to netman, the Network Connections service. netman.dll is the Network
Connections Manager.
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{27AF75ED-20D9-11D1-B1CE-00805FC1270E}

{BA126ADB-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E} = LAN Connection Class
{27AF75ED-20D9-11D1-B1CE-00805FC1270E} = Network Connection Manager Class

The following is FWIW.

This pasted in Start | Run
file:///::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
opens Network Connections.

This pasted in Start | Run
explorer ::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
opens Network Connections.

This pasted in Start | Run
Explorer.exe
/e,/root,::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}\::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2
-00805FC1270E}
opens Network Connections.

This pasted in Start | Run
file:///::{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\::{7007ACC7-3202-11D1-AAD2-00805FC1270E}
opens Network Connections.

Of course ncpa.cpl in the Run command will open Network Connections.

And RUNDLL32 SHELL32.DLL,Control_RunDLL NCPA.CPL will open Network
Connections. But tasklist /m /fi "IMAGENAME eq rundll32.exe" doesn't find
anything. Rundll32.exe runs long enough to open ncpa.cpl and then ceases
and desists?

This pasted in Start | Run
file:///::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
opens My Network Places.

This pasted in Start | Run
explorer ::{208D2C60-3AEA-1069-A2D7-08002B30309D}
opens My Network Places.

None of these commands works...
file:///::{27AF75ED-20D9-11D1-B1CE-00805FC1270E}
explorer ::{27AF75ED-20D9-11D1-B1CE-00805FC1270E}
file:///::{BA126ADB-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E}
explorer ::{BA126ADB-2166-11D1-B1D0-00805FC1270E}

Neither did any other combinations that I tried. But I could have missed
some.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
It isn't a typical shortcut. It extracts the information on your internet
link from

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application
Data\Microsoft\Network\Connections\Pbk\rasphone.pbk

Jon


I haven't been able to track it down. The GUID tracks to a CLSID that points
to the AppID

HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\AppID\{27AF75ED-20D9-11D1-B1CE-00805FC1270E}

Which is NetMan. I'm assuming this is the NETMAN.DLL in the
Windows\System32 folder, but have been unable to find any RUNDLL32 command
reference for it.

--
Doug Knox, MS-MVP Windows Media Center\Windows Powered Smart
Display\Security
Win 95/98/Me/XP Tweaks and Fixes
http://www.dougknox.com
 
It must not, because my rasphone.pbk file is empty (0 bytes), and was
last modified in January, 2003, which is when I installed this copy of
WinXP. But thanks.
 
ok, well open up the desktop shortcut in notepad. There will be a whole load
of jumbled characters , but there may also be a discernable path.

Jon
 
rasphone.pbk is only on dial-up connections, has nothing to do with cable
connections. Rasphone.pbk stores dial-up connection info apparently, I have
never had dial-up with this install of XP, so my rasphone.pbk is 0 also.

rasphone.pbk is the Remote Access Phonebook for dial-up connections.
Rasdial.exe and rasphone.exe use .pbk files. .pbk files are Dial-Up
Phonebook files.

--
Hope this helps. Let us know.

Wes
MS-MVP Windows Shell/User

In
 
Back
Top