Depending on your setup a local area connection may not come into play. If your cable modem is connected via usb directly to your system then you won't need a LAN connection unless you have a hub or switch to other systems. If you are using a router with your cable modem and your have installed the correct drivers for your network card then you have another issue. Check your device manager and make sure that the ethernet drivers are installed correctly. If this doesn't help then tell me a little more about your setup and we will go from there.