As my last post indicated, I do not apear to have anything called 'NetworkManager' on my system. I listed the response I got from entering this into the Search box after clicking 'Menu'. If I have a file called NetworkManager.conf then I have no idea where it might be.
Using 'find' with the string 'networkmanager' returns 'No such file or directory'.

My Applications list 'Network' and 'Network Connections'. I have checked the latter (MAC address, IPv4 settings, etc.) and they are all correct. Were they not I would not expect my Internet connection to be working - but it clearly is.

I am more than a bit confused by this elusive 'Network Manager' (see my other recent post) and I am afraid that I do not understand your question. I have not been using Linux Mint for long enough to know what the 'old method' was. I just went to the main Menu button, selected 'Network Connections' and filled in the numbers.

I was going to offer to show you mine, since you were kind enough to show me your network connection icon but I don't know how to copy the panel notification area. All I can tell you is that mine has a red cross in the lower right corner and shows a pair of greyed-out disconnected plugs.

You have Synaptic Package Manager check to see if Mate has it's own network manager or nm-applet if not you'll have to install gnome-network-manager.

I'll certainly look at that.

Following an answer to another thread, I updated and upgraded my software. (It has not been done since I acquired my computer.) As a result, the network connection icon has now vanished!

Checking another forum I discovered a user with exactly the same problem, which appeared to give rise to much the same sort of bafflement. However, one responder suggested adding the notification area to the panel. That apparently worked. The icon reappeared.

One of the options when I tried to add to the panel, as you suggested, was indeed 'Notification Area' but I am wondering what would happen if I select this. Will it refresh the existing notification area or will I finish up with two notification areas? If so, how would I get rid of the duplicate?

In the mean time, could I refer you back to my earlier response:-

Is this not relevant to your latest reply?

Not sure have to do some research on computer right now I'm on a phone.

You might find the following interesting. It comes from The Linux Mint Beginner's Guide:-

A view of the notification area is given. At the left is an icon shaped like the ']' symbol rotated clockwise through 90 degrees, forming a sort of upturned bucket. Its purpose is unknown to me because neither it, nor the upward arrow '^' symbol, mentioned in the above text, is present in my notification area. In other words, if my Panel has an Edit mode then I have no idea how to invoke it.

Usually right-clicking of mouse is for editing panel

I think that I am going to have to put this one to bed shortly. There does not appear to be a resolution in sight.

The wayward connection icon, that vanished after the update/upgrade exercise, eventually reappeared when the computer returned from its overnight suspension. It still shows no network connection. Maybe I'll just have to accept that the thing does not work.

From your response, I suspect that the illustration in the Beginners' Guide was from an earlier version of Mate. Certainly right-clicking the panel is easier than the somewhat clumsy procedure illustrated but I remain intrigued by the claim that '...the behaviour of the notification can be changed'. "How?"

One last thought - I am somewhat loath, as a newbie, to be too adventurous or I may finish up with a mess that I cannot then clear up. It would be unfortunate if re-adding the notification area to the Panel, for example, resulted in a duplicate version of the former that I was then unable to delete. I notice that the Panel editor allows users to add items but I don't see a remove option.

When offering software or utilities to install, the system appears to be well aware of what is already installed and does not generally offer to re-install it. I am therefore intrigued as to why the Panel editor should offer the notification area, as an addition, when an existing version is already present.

This leads me, finally, back to my earlier quote:-

Presumably 'gir1.2-networkmanager1.0' is not installed but could be. Does 'could be' imply 'should be'?

If you are on linux mint 13 right click on bottom panel icon to get disable option. If you have added panels from synaptic or updated and things appear different then it behaves differently.One option is to hold down the alt key and right click on the icon to dissable or hold down right click on the panel bar to get options; this behaviour tends to happen in later versons of Mint, that being the need to hold down the alt key.
I'm a big fan of the panel as it is a quick launcher of prefered programs but not sure I would want to manage my metwork from a GUI anyway, though it does provide usefull info like available wifi and current dns.

Fred.

Thanks, Fred,
I am trying not to get obsessed with this d****d icon. I am just intrigued by the fact that it does not work, despite apparently having access to all the information it needs.

As in your case, I find the panel very handy when alternating between multiple applications. The network connection icon is(was!) particularly useful because my router is located about 3 miles away, being accessed via the LAN, which, at that distance, is more of a WAN I suppose. Prior to the present problem, the icon gave instant indication of any difficulties at the router site, like loss of power or problems with the telephone line. Now it just sits doing nothing.

I recently added Artha to my software. A fully functional icon immediately appeared in the notification area, joining the other operational icons. Why, I wonder should the network connection icon be the exception?

I have tried right clicking the panel and alt-right clicking - with the same outcome. The resulting options do not include 'disable'. "Delete this panel," is offered but it is disabled (greyed out).

Not sure what you mean:
That's a lot of cable.
Don't know what 'Artha' is.

You have to right click on the specific thing to disable it, if you right click on the panel itself then it will offer to disable that panel.

Note there are a few panel varients that you can install from the repos (via synaptic,etc), some are compatable some not. The upshot is likely (I am not sure) that the system will use the one it is defaulted to if the requirements of the new one are not all met.

Fred.

It's a wireless link, Fred.

It describes itself as an 'Open Thesaurus'. It's in my distro's repository. You can Google it.

Agreed, but if I right-click on the connection icon I am presented with the options:-
'Enable Networking', which is ticked. I have tried unticking and re-ticking but to no avail.
'Connection Information'. This yields, "No valid active connections found," which is patently untrue.
'Edit connections', which shows the current connection parameters, all of which are correct.

3 miles to the router is a long wireless link.

Fred.