I have set the ip adress on the laptop according to the instruction maunual, but when I try to hook up the ethernet cable, my computer displays "Unidentified Network" under the local area connection.
I don't think that is entirely unexpected that the network shows up as an Unidentified Network. Are you able to see the cRIO in Measurement and Automation Explorer? Are you able to detect and image the cRIO using the imaging tool?
Sounds like the IP address or subnet on the cRIO itself is not set up correctly. If you do an IP Reset and boot into safe mode while the cRIO is directly connected with a crossover cable to your computer (which should be set to automatically acquire an IP Address) are you able to see the controller in MAX? If so you should set the IP and subnet to their proper values and then take the controller out of safe mode and set your computer back to its static IP.
I have booted it up in safemode, with the ip reset, and in MAX I see the following under "devices and interfaces": Network devices [there's nothing in it] PXI Syestem (Unidentified), and under "Serial & Parallel" there is: LPT1, which says "MAX could not open a VISA session to this static device. The device was not returned from VISA when finding recources, but MAX was able to parse the recource name."
The cRIO should show up under remote systems in MAX. Another method to find the IP Address of the cRIO is to use the console out switch and connect the serial port on the cRIO using a null modem serial cable to your computers serial port. More information on doing this is available here:http://digital.ni.com/public.nsf/allkb/354A5124E6A667988625701B004A77CD . Are you using an FRC 1 or 2?
Some other things to try would be to disable or enable your wireless card or other NICs (whatever the opposite of what is now). Additionally I would try connected to the cRIO through a hub or switch instead of directly to your PC.
