As for the network issue, I just want to be able to click on the network icon and see items like my router, other pcs on the network, the extra hard drive hooked up my router, things like that, that I can now see normally if I'm on my Windows PC.
Basically, I want my Linux to operate as much like Windows as humanly possible without a lot of hassle.
One solution I found was to download a copy of the free “VirtualBox” software from Oracle. Then I installed it, created a virtual machine that is run right from the Linux Mint desktop. I installed a Windows (XP) OS on that VM and I can use it to share files, network, everything with my Linux desktop PC, my other Windows PCs and laptops, using the Windows VM instead of the Linux Mint. It might be a way for you to go.