›› Network Connections

The primary function of the Network Connections service is to provide connectivity for your computer to various networks. This service makes it possible for you to gain access to network resources whether your computer is in the same location of the network or in a different, remote location. This service makes it simple for you to manage all your network connections by allowing you to create, configure, store, and monitor connections.

Network Connections is able to create several different types of network connections for you such as: Dial-up connections, Virtual Private Network (VPN) Connections, Local Area Connections, and Direct Connections. The Dial-up connection allows you to send data back and forth through a device that uses a standard phone line. A Virtual Private Network (VPN) is one in which data is encrypted and sent across a public network, like the Internet, to reach its endpoint. Other people on the public network will not be able to access the data without an encryption key so the data is kept private. A Local Area Network (LAN) Connection is one in which computers are networked together in a relatively small area, like a single building or group of buildings. Typically, a Local Area Network Connection is created by default when you install Windows on your computer. A Direct Connection is one in which computers are networked through a physical link such as a cable. Network Connections service enables you to create and manage all of these connections.

This is a critical service to have if you use your computer to connect to the Internet or to a network; do not disable it. If you use your computer simply as a stand-alone without Internet or network access, then it's probably safe to Disable this service. If you do decide to Disable this service, there are a number of consequences that may result such as: Internet Connection Sharing not working, not being able to create new network connections, not having dial out access, not being able to configure your LAN settings or incoming connections, and losing functionality for other services that depend on Network Connections.

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