Patent ID: 7860982

Claim:
One or more computer-readable storage device having stored computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system, causes the computing system to perform a method for verifying whether or not the computing system is connected to the Internet, the method comprising: an act of identifying a prior Internet connection state based on one or more prior connection attempts; an act of periodically making multiple consecutive connection attempts to one or more Internet destinations, wherein a frequency comprising a duration of time for making the multiple consecutive connection attempts is based at least in part on the identified prior Internet connection state, and such that making each of the multiple consecutive connection attempts more or less frequently is dependent upon the identified prior Internet connection state; an act of determining connection attempt results by, for at least a plurality of the multiple consecutive connection attempts, an act of determining whether the corresponding connective attempt resulted in success or failure; and an act of determining whether or not Internet connectivity is present using the connection attempt results, from the plurality of the multiple consecutive connection attempts, rather than relying solely on any single connection attempt result.