Patent ID: 8095664

Claim:
An information processing apparatus having an interface for connection with networks, the information processing apparatus comprising: managing means for managing settings for connectable networks as profiles on a network by network basis; detecting means for detecting a first phase connection to a detected network; means for judging whether the detected network has actually changed from a first set of physical devices to a second set of physical devices, said first set of physical devices having at least one physical device not in common with the second set of physical devices; determination means for determining whether the managing means manages a managed profile corresponding to the detected network when the means for judging judges that the detected network has actually changed; and establishing means for automatically establishing a second phase connection to the detected network based on the managed profile if the determination means determines that the managing means manages the managed profile corresponding to the detected network, said establishing means including a switcher configured to switch access to the detected network using the first phase connection and the second phase connection when a predetermined condition is determined to exist, and said switcher includes an icon display mechanism configured to produce an icon on a display that notifies a user that the switcher is an active process.