Windows 7 / Networking

Displaying a Network Map

The Network window gives you a list of the network computers and devices, but it tells you nothing about how these devices connect to form your network. This bird's-eye view of your network is available via Windows 7's Network Map feature, which gives you a visual display of everything your computer is connected to: network connections (wired and wireless), ad hoc (computer-to-computer) connections, Internet connections, and the devices associated with these connections. Network Map also gives you a visual display of the connection status so that you can easily spot problems.

The Network and Sharing Center displays your local portion of the network map, and the layout depends on your current connections. You always see an icon for your computer on the left. If your computer is connected to a network agreen line joins the Computer icon and the Network icon. If the network is connected to the Internet, another green line joins the Network icon and the Internet icon on the right. If there is no connection, you see a red X through the connection line.

The Network and Sharing Center also comes with a more detailed version of Network Map. To view it, click the See Full Map link. If you have multiple network connections, use the Network Map Of list to select a different connection and see its map.

NOTE In the full network map, a double solid line indicates a wired connection, and double dashed line indicates a wireless connection.

[Previous] [Contents] [Next]

In this tutorial:

  1. Setting a Small Network
  2. Setting Up a Peer-to-Peer Network
  3. Changing the Computer and Workgroup Name
  4. Connecting to a Wireless Network
  5. Working with Windows 7's Basic Network Tools and Tasks
  6. Accessing the Network and Sharing Center
  7. Setting Up a Homegroup
  8. Activating Homegroup Connections
  9. Creating a Homegroup
  10. Joining a Homegroup
  11. Accessing the Homegroup
  12. Changing Homegroup Settings
  13. Turning Off Homegroup Connections
  14. Viewing Network Computers and Devices
  15. Displaying a Network Map
  16. Viewing Network Status Details
  17. Customizing Your Network
  18. Managing Network Connections
  19. Opening the Network Connections Window
  20. Renaming a Network Connection
  21. Enabling Automatic IP Addressing
  22. Confirming That Windows 7 Is Configured for Dynamic IP Addressing
  23. Displaying the Computer's Current IP Address
  24. Setting Up a Static IP Address
  25. Displaying the Current DNS Addresses
  26. Specifying the Static IP Address
  27. Using a Network Connection to Wake Up a Sleeping Computer
  28. Disabling a Network Connection
  29. Managing Wireless Network Connections
  30. Opening the Manage Wireless Networks Window
  31. Creating an Ad Hoc Wireless Network
  32. Working with Wireless Connection Properties
  33. Modifying Connection Properties
  34. Modifying Security Properties
  35. Renaming Wireless Connections
  36. Reordering Wireless Connections
  37. Creating User-Specific Wireless Connections
  38. Removing Wireless Connections