System, method and user interface for network status reporting

A computer readable medium other than a signal per se having a sequence of instructions which, when executed by a processor that is a functional component of a network communications device, causes the processor to provide a graphical user interface configured to display a single unified icon that indicates different states associated with attempts to connect to a network using a DHCP client associated with the network communications device with different graphics, such that:

• the single unified icon represents an internal state, which corresponds to a combination of a device specific state, an authentication specific state, and an IP-specific state for a network adapter;
• responsive to failure of a particular attempt to acquire a routable IP address, display of a determined state for the particular attempt via the single unified icon is delayed to enable an additional attempt to acquire the routable IP address after waiting a predetermined period of time based on a state of a currently assigned IP address, a current state of the DHCP client, and a retry time indicating how long the DHCP client is configured to wait to make the additional attempt;
• and
• the single unified icon when displayed to indicate a state determined for the attempts is represented using one of:
• a first graphic to signify that the network communications device is not connected to a network medium, responsive to detecting that the network communications device is unable to establish a wired network connection or a wireless network connection;
• a second graphic to signify that the network communications device is connected to the network medium and at least one of authenticating the network communications device or assigning a network address is being performed;
• a third graphic to signify that the network communications device is connected to the network medium and at least one of authentication of the network communications device failed or the assigned network address is invalid;
• or
• a fourth graphic to signify that the network communications device is connected to the network, authentication of the network communications device is successful, and the assigned network address is valid.

A method implemented by a network communications device, to inform a user of a network connection status, the method comprising:

• attempting to acquire a routable IP address using a DHCP client associated with the network communications device;
• informing the user that the state of the attempt is in an acquiring state;
• failing to obtain the routable IP address;
• waiting a predetermined period of time before making a second attempt to acquire the routable IP address and determining to delay informing a user of a warning state until after the second attempt is performed, wherein the determination to delay is based on a state of a currently assigned IP address, a current state of the DHCP client, and a retry time indicating how long the DHCP client is configured to wait before again attempting to acquire the routable IP address;
• and
• informing a user that the DHCP client has failed to acquire the routable IP address only after the second attempt using a single unified icon representative of an internal state, which tracks a network adapter configured to evaluate a combination of states including a device specific state, an authentication specific state, and a IP-specific state for the network adapter, the single unified icon being configured to represent different states using different graphics including:
• a first graphic to signify that the network communications device is not connected to a network medium responsive to failure to establish a wired network connection or a wireless network connection;
• a second graphic to signify that the network communications device is connected to the network medium and at least one of authenticating the network communications device or assigning a network address is being performed;
• a third graphic to signify that the network communications device is connected to the network medium and at least one of authentication of the network communications device failed or the assigned network address is invalid;
• and
• a fourth graphic to signify that the network communications device is connected to the network, authentication of the network communications device is successful, and the assigned network address is valid.