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#1
Internet icon often not showing on taskbar with Mobile Partner
This started with 1909 (have had NO problems over YEARS with this SAME Mobile Partner dongle in 1709, 1803 or 1903). Mobile Partner is a G3 broadband connection (dongle uses Cellular Data Network) and is my ONLY Internet connection (WiFi/WLAN disabled: see Network Connections attachment).
NOTE:
1. Mobile Partner uses very slow firmware, NOT possible to SAFELY update firmware (NONE available from the mfg. Huawei) and my guess is that some steps in the THREE independent processes of Windows startup, Mobile Partner startup and Internet connection get improperly sequenced! That is, Windows 1909 makes some assumptions and is on another step before Mobile Partner is up & running.
2. The attachments show how Mobile Partner AND Windows 1909 are currently properly working together: I do NOT want to stop that to show the problem and then have to re-install Mobile Partner and clean the Registry entries to get it working properly again! If it follows what's been happening since 1909 (1909 may be a Red Herring and only a coincidence occurring around the same time as I noticed this problem) .... the problem will re-appear all by itself without my help!
Windows recognizes that it is properly connected to Sunrise via Mobile Partner (attachment) .... for a few days only and then I must uninstall and re-install Mobile Partner! >>
BECAUSE .... every few days, though Windows is managing the connection (checkbox "Let Windows manage this connection" in Cellular checked; following current Sunrise provider verbal instructions from their Tech section, I do not use a pin code with Mobile Partner) and running and all of the above is unchanged EXCEPT that the proper triangular taskbar icon (shown in attachment between the green circular Mobile Partner icon and the battery icon) .... is NOT THERE! Instead there is a stylized outline globe icon indicating NO Internet connection.
Clicking on the "no Internet" taskbar globe icon indicates NO Internet connection! But in Network Status and Cellular Settings it shows that it IS connected to the Internet. And it actually IS connected, with full Internet function.
I found that the only way to keep the proper icon functioning -- and ALL of Windows agreeing that the Internet is connected! -- is to click on the X on the upper right corner of the Mobile Partner window, click to simultaneously disconnect AND turn off Mobile Partner, then very quickly Shut Down or Sleep. However sometimes Windows is a little slow in shutting down and then when re-started, the triangular Internet icon on the taskbar (attachment) is replaced with the globe Internet icon which shows NO Internet connection.
Anyway, in order to get everything proper again, every few days I have to uninstall Mobile Partner, clean out its Registry entries (when I don't, then the problem happens again sooner) and install Mobile Partner (the setup files are IN the dongle).
Is there some smart way to FORCE the Internet taskbar icon to appear (when Windows messes up) and to agree with itself that the Internet is connected when it IS connected?
Taskbar snip >
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new factoid: I started it with Mobile Partner unplugged beforehand, later shut down, inserted Mobile Partner dongle, started and all worked as shown in the above attachments (I don't want to push my luck and further test it now since I almost always use the Elitebook with Mobile Partner plugged in and running)
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ADDENDUM
When Windows 1909 comes out of a time-triggered "self-induced" sleep (i.e., not manually commanded by me) it takes it a fairly long time (ca. 30+ sec.) to automatically "find" Mobile Partner, turn it on, wait for the SLOW Mobile Partner firmware to run and then wait for Win + Mobile Partner to connect to the Internet.
That's why my gut feeling is that this is related to or involves a sequence/time issue. Even the taskbar globe "no-Internet" icon and the triangular Internet connected will flash and alternate with each other during this long process.
UPDATE:
When I turned on the Elitebook a few mins ago Mobile Partner came on and was in fact functioning properly, but showing in taskbar empty globe Internet icon as "off/not-connected/no Cellular service". I clicked the upper-rt. corner X in the Mobile Partner window to disconnect + turn it off, then put laptop to sleep. Then "woke" it, no changes in taskbar icon, but I clicked the small taskbar pop-up Cellular window (shows up when clicking globe/cellular taskbar icon.
Took a little while, but taskbar Cellular window indicated "getting ready", then "connected" and triangular Internet icon back and all functions correct.
It is rare to "get it back" once "off" (showing off, but actually ON), but I can guess that the problem arises during initial Elitebook start-up or during shut-down procedure. And the TIMING seems to be very relevant ....
Last edited by Airider; 10 Feb 2020 at 08:12.