Hi Joe take a look to Thread #602563 Message #602886 this code is in VFP but is easy to translate to VB
hope this will help

>I need some help detecting Internet Connection on computers with a LAN. I have the stand alone(Non-LAN) working perfectly. Detecting and connecting automatically. However, if there is a LAN the system(wininet.dll) reports back as connected regardless of actual connection state. I also cannot force the connection thru wininet because it apparently checks state and bypasses the connection action if it thinks it is already connected.
> I hope someone here has unravelled this already without a ping because my users will not wait 30 seconds of no apparent response, they will three finger salute the app with extreme prejudice... I am preparing to check out using winsock to get the PPP IP if that is even possible. Hopefully between that and the UT, I might make my deadline. :)
>
>Thanks in advance,