Switching off Wi-Fi

**mike21** · 2012-03-18 10:17

My wife has a Windows 7 laptop which she uses mainly to play Bridge, and very occasionally to access the internet. Time between battery re-charges would be much improved if Wi-Fi was switched off, which can be done by pressing Fn+F4, but at the next boot-up the connection is back on again. Is there an easy way for a computer illiterate person to switch the connection off and then when required at some future session to switch it back on again - it would need to be via a link/shortcut on the taskbar or desktop.

**Tinto Tech** · 2012-03-18 11:16

Click on the Start Button, in the text box at the bottom of the menu(Search Programs and Files), type "view network connections". Click on the view network connections link that appears at the top of the menu.

This should open a window that shows your network adapters. I would expect at least two; one for the wired Ethernet port and the other for the wireless. Identify the wireless (normally with signal strength bars next to it). Right click that the icon for that wireless adapter and drag it to the desktop. Release the drag when the mouse is on the desktop.

Now you have a shortcut to the wireless adapter on you desktop. You can right click and select disable or enable as required. The enabled/disabled status should survive a re-boot. Be careful not to change any other settings though.

Some laptops have a physical wireless switch as on the leading edge of the keyboard too - take a look for that, it would be easier.

**mike21** · 2012-03-19 13:29

Thanks - your instructions worked fine. I tried to pin the icon onto the taskbar next to the browser icon, but it seems that a short-cut cannot be pinned. You can drag/drop a short-cut in XP but it does not work in Win 7. Unfortunately there is no side switch.

**Tinto Tech** · 2012-03-19 13:40

Glad it worked for you!

Pinning it to the task bar? hmmmm....a standard shortcut can be pinned, but I've just tried with that link to the network connection and you can't pin it - maybe because it points to a physical piece of hardware? I've never seen that before.

Anyway, you could now create a new folder on the desktop, call it Network or something similar. Then move the shortcut into the new folder. Now, on the taskbar, right click and in Toolbars select New toolbar. Use the folder you have just created to be the folder for the new toolbar. What you should end up with is a toolbar that has one entry: the new shortcut. It's not exactly pinned, but it might do the job for you.

***JoeP517*** · 2012-03-20 08:19

Pinning individual control panel items can be a challenge. See How to pin network connections shortcut to taskbar for details.

Joe

**mike21** · 2012-03-20 10:48

Thanks to Tinto tech and Joe. I have downloaded Joe's suggestion and will try it out on my wife's computer - I have been trying on my desktop computer without success, only to realise that it does not does not have a Wi-Fi connection!!!

**RetiredGeek** · 2012-03-20 11:43

Joe,

Thanks for the link. I've loaded it on both my wife's & my laptops. Works like a charm. It is now a permanent part of my maintenance toolbar.

**Shamar625** · 2012-04-23 04:37

Nice sharing.
Pinning it to the task bar....a standard shortcut can be pinned,
but I've just tried with that link to the network connection....

**midnight** · 2012-04-23 07:23

Coming in late on this topic, but our HP laptops have a mobility panel of settings accessed by Windows key X, and if you turn off the wi-fi there it stays off until you turn it back on again. I always turn it off on my laptop to save the battery.

Is this an HP add on??

**jdoc** · 2012-04-23 10:05

There is an up arrow in my tray right beside time of day cursor over and it says view hidden icons left click it allows to customize there is a network icon and choices of how you want it displayed mine shows bars.right click the bars open network connections and you can turn on off and control all network functions

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