Can't see connections tab in Internet options

[azzie23]

Hi I have a user with a laptop running xp pro. We are trying to connect to wireless lan - which is fine but can't then get to the internet. I think it may be a proxy issue but the connections tab in internet options has been disabled. The laptop was built by another section of the office and of course the person who built it is not around and no one else knows anything. How do I get the connection tab back. I have the admin password for the machine but even logged in as administrator I can't see the connections tab. Any help would be appreciated.

Azzie

 

[Ogi]

Do the following:-

Start
Run
gpedit.msc
Click Ok
Select User configuration
Open Administrative Templates
Open Windows Components
Open Internet Explorer
Select Internet Control Panel
Look at "Disable the Connections Page"
What's it's configuration?
If it's Disabled move it to Enabled
If it's Not Configured move it to Enabled

Start IE/Tools/Options
Is the Connections tab there?

If it's not, try a reboot and check IE after logging back in.

Other than that, it might be set in a GPO for that user!

Cheers,
Carl.

 

[Rick998]

Sounds like the 'Connections' tab has been disabled by a policy.

1) Close all Internet Explorer windows.

2) Launch the 'Group Policy Editor' by entering 'Gpedit.msc' in the Start menu's 'Run' dialog.

3) Navigate to 'User Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Internet Explorer > Internet Control Panel > Disable the Connections page'.

4) If the value shows 'Enabled', right-click on this policy, click on 'Properties' and change the option to 'Not configured'. Apply the change, click OK then close the 'Group Policy Editor'.

Re-run Internet Explorer.

Alternatively, you can edit the Registry, i.e. to re-show the 'Connections' tab, paste the following into Notepad and save as 'show-connections.reg':

REGEDIT4

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel]
"ConnectionsTab"=dword:00000000

Double-click on the saved 'show-connections.reg', merge it into the Registry then re-run Internet Explorer.

Finally, to remove policy restrictions that prevent the display of all 'Options' tabs in Internet Explorer, paste the following into Notepad and save as 'ie-options-allow.reg':

REGEDIT4

[-HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Control Panel]

Double-click on the saved 'ie-options-allow.reg', merge it into the Registry then re-run Internet Explorer.

Hope this helps...

 

[azzie23]

Hi, I've tried to fix it through the policy console and it didn't work. I'll try the registry. While I was in the policy console, I tried to access the connections settings through Internet Explorer Maintenance (I think!) but I got a message saying that the option to do so had been locked down by the administrator. I am logged in as administrator and there are no restrictions enabled/disabled/configured for connection settings or proxy or anything else that I can see. Am I correct in thinking that there is another layer of security which even as administrator I can't see?

Thanks for your help!

Azzie

 

[Rick998]

If the local Group Policy Editor didn't fix it then it's most likely that the laptop is logging onto a domain and a GPO (Group Policy Object) restriction set by a Domain Administrator is being applied. This is different from a local policy applied by a local Administrator.