seeking resolution to Network Device difficulties

[Petrus de Calguarium]

Greg Woods wrote:

> 1) Configure a static IP address on your box instead of using DHCP. In
> the /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg-eth0 file, you will need to
> have BOOTPROTO=static and add IPADDR & NETMASK lines. Just make sure the
> IPADDR you choose is outside the range of any that will be assigned by
> your router. If you are using NetworkManager, then I believe you can
> (and should) configure the IP address through that.

Thanks. I appreciate the suggestion. I only have a couple of aliases and 
scripts that reference the computer by IP, so I will just change them. Your 
suggestion is just a bit too technical for me. I need to keep it simple. I am 
not suggesting that editing a sysconfig file is too technical for me :-D, but 
fiddling with NetworkManager and having the router give one address and me 
hardcoding another is just too much of a minefield of confusion.

Yes, the router needs to be reset, losing all of the configurations, to free 
up previously used IP addresses. It is a pain, but I don't upgrade hardware 
all that often, every 2 years or so.

So, how do I get this new setup, which works and I can live with, to connect 
automatically upon login, like it used to, via the systray applet?