Patent ID: 8285855
Filing Date: 2012-10-09
Classification: H04L,H04W

Abstract:
1. A computer readable medium other than a signal per se having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor that is a functional component of a network communications device, causes the processor to execute a process for informing the user of a network connection status, the process comprising: attempting to join a network; determining a state of the attempt from a plurality of connection states, wherein the plurality of connection states include: responsive to failing to obtain a routable IP address, waiting a predetermined period of time before making an additional attempt to acquire the routable IP address using a DHCP client associated with the network communications device based on a state of a currently assigned IP address, a current state of the DHCP client, and a retry time indicating how long the DHCP client is configured to wait before again attempting to acquire the routable IP address and delaying output of an indication of the state of the attempt until after the additional attempt; and responsive to determining to indicate the state of the attempt as one of the second state, third state, fourth state, or fifth state, informing the user of the state of the attempt by causing a single unified icon to be displayed that is configured to represent the determined state of the attempt in accordance with an internal state that tracks a combination of a device specific state, an authentication specific state, and a IP-specific state for a network adapter.