I'm not going to start a new thread, this is the correct one as it was the best and only option from a google search and the regular Microsoft sites were of no help.
As an "MS MVP" I would have thought you could figure out that "Microsoft Windows [Version 6.0.6002]" WAS MS Vista. Though I can see why you wouldn't necessarily be able to tell the service pack or bit version of the machine,
so I'll forgive that transgression. As for the IE version that is completely irrelevant since this issue occurs with both 32-bit and 64-bit versions for IE and I tried IE version 7 and version 8, not to mention the fact that I usually use Firefox versions
3.5 and 3.6 (plus numerous upgrades) and that other programs cannot connect to the internet when this happens.
Also_frustrated: is correct. Cudos to casoncasa for the eventual solution to this problem for me.
If anyone is still experiencing the issue where you cannot connect to the internet after your computer returns from either Sleep or Hibernation, try this:
Follow the instructions that casoncasa posted above. However, in my case, I had to alter the step 5 instructions. I CHECKED the box for "allow the computer to turn off the device to save power". This has worked for me for the last three weeks. Now every
time my computer wakes up from Sleep, the internet connection is fully active and I don't have to use Diagnose and Repair or reset the Network Adapter!
To me this solution makes more sense: by checking the box you are telling Windows that it needs to wake up the network adapter and therefore it re-establishes the connection correctly. Your mileage may vary. I have Windows Vista-64 with Service Pack 2
and an on-board NVIDIA nForce Ethernet 'card' in a Gateway LX-6810 machine.
I would suggest that anyone with this problem first make certain they have the latest updates from Microsoft and have at least Service Pack 1 or better yet SP2 installed. Then follow casoncasa's instructions in the second half of the post, and if it doesn't
work for you (or if the box is already unchecked), then try my modification and check the box.