Is there a way for LabVIEW to know if the computer has an ethernet connection active?

Question

I need to know in my VI if the computer has a network connection, to avoid trying to connect through TCP/IP when the connection is not available. I would prefer to know if there is a connection available rather than rely on errors coming from the TCP/IP functions not being able to connect.
Windows instantly knows when a network cable is unplugged. Is there a function in LabVIEW that can similarly instantly detect a connection?
Or, does anybody know if there is a Windows-provided dll that contains the function that the taskbar indicator uses to know if there is a connection present. If there is, then I could call the dll from LabVIEW and know the connection status.
Thanks.
Alejandro

Answer 1

Hi there,
there`s an API
unsigned long WNetAddConnectionA(CStr lpRemoteName, CStr lpPassword, CStr lpLocalName);
in mpr.dll.
lpRemoteName the address of a network resource (e.g. "\\YOURSERVER\YOURDRIVE")
lpPassword may be NULL
lpLocalName should be NULL, otherwise the API maps lpRemoteName to the drive you specify in lpLocalName (e.g. lpLocalName = "e:")
if all is ok, the API returns 0, otherwise some errorcodes.
more info can be found here
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/wnet/wnet/wnetaddconnection.asp
best regards
chris
Best regards
chris
CL(A)Dly bending G-Force with LabVIEW
famous last words: "oh my god, it is full of stars!"