I just downloaded Linux Mint 14 and burned the iso image to a bootable dvd. I wanted to add a user as admin and was prompted for the root password. Since I was never asked to create a root password I do not know it. How can this issue be resolved? I also have an additional problem trying to access the internet while running the Linux OS in this capacity, it shows that I'm connected but says it can't find a server. I tried going to network config, but since I do not know how to find my IP address I simply set it to automatic DHCP.

I believe Mint uses the same approach as Ubuntu ie it doesn't use the root acct directly. Instead, the first acct created (during install) is given full access rights via the sudo cmd, so simply prefix this to any cmd line cmd and give the acct's passwd.
If using a gui, just give the user acct's passwd when asked.

Thanks Chris for the reply but I never set up a user account to begin with and when I left the root password blank and continued to set the new user password upon completion it said I still needed to supply the root password. I should add that I haven't installed it onto my hard drive I'm just running it from the optical drive until I feel more secure in using Linux, could this be part of the problem with the root password?

Well, you shouldn't have left the root passwd blank. Try using just <enter key> at the prompt.
However, if this is just running on a CDROM, you can't write to it anyway, so I don't think you can physically add a new user; where would it save the info ???
Maybe it saves it into RAM until you shutdown..?

I've never gone this route ; went for dual-boot, then full install. Mind you, when I started those were the only options

HTH, else wait for someone who knows more or maybe try Mint forums or google ?

Did you run the command via sudo? I don't believe Mint live has a password for the regular user, so if it prompts you for one when you try to use sudo, try just hitting enter and see if it takes it.

OK ThanksChris and Suicidaleggroll I'll try that and see what happens. I also wanted to run Linux as a dual-boot option but I'm very new to this besides the OS and client/server environments intro class I just took, so I'm a little leary about trying it out. Any suggestions

Running from a Live-CD is fine, but it has its limitations. There might be a version that allows you to reserve some real HDD space to save stuff, although user acct info (/etc/passwd, /etc/shadow ) will be on the CD I'd think.
There is (was?) 'wubi' which installs ubuntu as an 'app' under windows. Mint might have an option for that, but you'd have to ask the home site http://www.linuxmint.com/ or ask good old Google.

If not, you can always run it in a VM such as VirtualBox or VMWare Player, assuming your machine has the necessary resources.