>If I unplug our firewall from the internet, and run that function on my computer, it says I'm connected to the internet. But I'm not, am I?

That would depend on how the firewall is viewed: Is it a shell around the user, or a shell around the internet?:-) If the definition of being connected means the network adapter is handshaking with an IP rat-tail, then being connected to the firewall or proxy could be construed as connected to the "internet".

>
>It must be a useful function for seeing if the dialer needs to be activated.

Yes it is 0 in fact if your're dialup, and not connected, it will raise the dialup connection dialog. Doze were da daze!

>
>>
>>So - connecting to a proxy is not an internet connection?
>>