How do I solve an unidentified network issue? It can't connect to the Internet

I basically have a problem with Windows 7 connecting to my home network.

It keeps identifying my home network as unidentified, and it continually does "identifying" until it simply say cannot connect to the Internet. I don't know how this problem occurred. It simply happened one morning.

I am running Windows 7 Ultimate. I have a Realtek Network adapter. I don't think it's the drivers. I have already tried a system restore to a date when my computer was working fine, but it still didn't fix the problem. From what I've read online there was this bug in the services.msc area, something to do with Bonjour service. I cannot find either so I do not think that was the problem.

I'll be online for a while, so I can provide any additional details if needed.

I don't really know how to explain it, because it's so fudging complicated. I really appreciate clear and open steps to solving this. I have tried some things like system restore and rolling back drivers, and it doesn't seem to help.

I had this EXACT problem yesterday, to fix it try following these steps:

1) Go to the Control Panel, and open the "Device Manager"

2) Right click "Realtek RTL8168..." and click "Uninstall", it will prompt if you want to remove the driver, click yes (make sure to click YES, it will not work otherwise).

3) Restart Windows, and it will reinstall the stock Windows 7 driver for the card, your net should now be working.

This might still be a driver problem.

A driver from Realtek might be better than the default driver of Windows 7, so I suggest that you try to find your network adapter's driver on their site.

EDIT

A driver download is available here, version 7.006 dating from 2009/10/23 (yesterday).

Please compare this with your NIC's version this way : in Network Connections right-click your lan connection, choose Properties and then Configure.., and then the Driver tab to see the driver's details. Note these down somewhere.

Two versions are available, but I would pick "Win7 32/64 Auto Installation Program".
Click one of the GO buttons to download the zip file, then unpack it and see what's inside.

You can use Driver Magician Lite to save first the old driver, just in case.
Also create a system restore point before doing any manipulations.