Need a better way to read NIC status

[SIMPLE_XP]

I am trying to get a low CPU intensive way to read the status of Network cards. I am running a delayed internal function loop to keep the CPU from pegging, but making the check using a WMI call seems to eat up about 35% of the CPU when it makes the call.

I am using a DLL struct to check the AC vs. Battery, and was hoping there was a similar DLL call that could do the same thing for network cards...

Here is the code I have right now...

CODE

$wbemFlagReturnImmediately = 0x10

$wbemFlagForwardOnly = 0x20

$colItems = ""

$strComputer = "localhost"

$objWMIService = ObjGet("winmgmts:\\" & $strComputer & "\root\CIMV2")

$colItems = $objWMIService.ExecQuery("SELECT * FROM BRCM_3RdPartyNetworkAdapter", "WQL", $wbemFlagReturnImmediately + $wbemFlagForwardOnly)

If IsObj($colItems) then

For $objItem In $colItems

If $objItem.Name = "Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG Network Connection" Then

$NIC_NAME = "Intel® PRO/Wireless 2200BG"

$NIC_CONNECTION_ID = $objItem.NetConnectionID

$NIC_TYPE = $objItem.NICType

If $objItem.Status = "OK" Then

$NIC_STATUS = "CONNECTED"

Else

$NIC_STATUS = "DISCONNECTED"

EndIf

ExitLoop

EndIf

Next

EndIf

[tAKTelapis]

hmm, quick google search:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480679.aspx

not sure if it is helpful or not (or where to get the .dll it mentions) but it seems to be a nice idea..

have always wanted something like this myself, for when students un-plug the network cable, so it can lock kb/mouse input and show a message on screen, then remove that message when a student re-connects the cable

[SIMPLE_XP]

hmm, quick google search:

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa480679.aspx

not sure if it is helpful or not (or where to get the .dll it mentions) but it seems to be a nice idea..

have always wanted something like this myself, for when students un-plug the network cable, so it can lock kb/mouse input and show a message on screen, then remove that message when a student re-connects the cable

Thanks, but I had already found that. I am not sure how to expose what I need. I am a little new to scripting... Hopefully somone can come up with something... I will keep looking.

[SIMPLE_XP]

Thanks, but I had already found that. I am not sure how to expose what I need. I am a little new to scripting... Hopefully somone can come up with something... I will keep looking.

Um... sorry about that... I thought I had found that example before, but it is different. It goes in to much more detail. I will take a look and if I find an easy way to use it I will post. Thanks!

[ptrex]

@SIMPLE_XP

In order to do this efficiently you will need to user the WMI event notifications

Look for "SELECT * FROM __InstanceOperationEvent WITHIN 5 WHERETargetInstance ISA 'MSNdis_MediaConnectStatus"

I posted today an example of using the event notification in the example script.

Look for file monitor.

regards

ptrex

[sublimnl]

Thanks to ptrex's nudge in the right direction I was able to create a script to determine whether or not my laptop was currently docked based on whether the NIC in the docking station was present. Here is the code:

$strComputer = "."
    $objWMIService = ObjGet("winmgmts:\\" & $strComputer & "\root\WMI")
    $nics = $objWMIService.InstancesOf("MSNdis_MediaConnectStatus",48)
    For $nic in $nics
        If $nic.InstanceName = "Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller" Then
            $Status = "Docked"
        EndIf
    Next

I am querying based on InstanceName only, but you use the NdisMediaConnectStatus property to determine whether the NIC is connected or not as well:

If $nic.InstanceName = "Marvell Yukon 88E8053 PCI-E Gigabit Ethernet Controller"  AND $nic.NdisMediaConnectStatus = 0 Then
            MsgBox(4096,"",$nic.InstanceName & " is connected.")
EndIf

See here for more info.

Edited June 15, 2007 by sublimnl