I use my Surface Pro 2 for travel and in various WiFi locations. When in the Desktop Display or the Start Menu (Metro), I wanted a shortcut to very quickly go to the connections display.
So I provide such a shortcut here.
Here is how to add:
- Desktop shortcut to the Network Connections menu for your Desktop (alternative to Notification Bar icon)
- Tile on your Start Menu (Metro) for Network Connections (alternative to Networking Charm)
1. Right-click your desktop, New, Shortcut, set location to
2. Name the shortcut "Connections", or anything you desire, then Finish.
3. Right-click on the new shortcut, Properties, Change Icon, and look for an icon in this file:
4. Click on the icon you choose, OK, OK.
5. Rename the shortcut "Connections" or anything you desire.
6. Right-click on the shortcut and Copy.
7. With File Explorer, browse to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
8. Right-click, Paste (not Paste Shortcut), and confirm security if necessary.
You are done!
(Yes, I know that one click on a little icon in the bottom-right of your Desktop also does this, and so does a slide-out then tap on a charm from the Start Menu. But I took on the challenge to do it with an icon and a tile.)
Here are pics of the shortcut on my desktop and the Start Menu, and also the resulting display.
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Photo of Oregon's Painted Hills by Mark DeJohn ART, LMT, CSTI
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So I provide such a shortcut here.
Here is how to add:
- Desktop shortcut to the Network Connections menu for your Desktop (alternative to Notification Bar icon)
- Tile on your Start Menu (Metro) for Network Connections (alternative to Networking Charm)
1. Right-click your desktop, New, Shortcut, set location to
Code:
rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\van.dll,RunVAN
3. Right-click on the new shortcut, Properties, Change Icon, and look for an icon in this file:
Code:
%SystemRoot%\System32\netcenter.dll
5. Rename the shortcut "Connections" or anything you desire.
6. Right-click on the shortcut and Copy.
7. With File Explorer, browse to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\
8. Right-click, Paste (not Paste Shortcut), and confirm security if necessary.
You are done!
(Yes, I know that one click on a little icon in the bottom-right of your Desktop also does this, and so does a slide-out then tap on a charm from the Start Menu. But I took on the challenge to do it with an icon and a tile.)
Here are pics of the shortcut on my desktop and the Start Menu, and also the resulting display.

Photo of Oregon's Painted Hills by Mark DeJohn ART, LMT, CSTI

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