Could be a duplicate of bug #930563. No need to restart the machine; just open a terminal a run:
kill -1 `pidof nm-applet` nm-applet & -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Desktop Packages, which is subscribed to network-manager-applet in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/992368 Title: Wireless icon not showing "More networks" Status in “network-manager-applet” package in Ubuntu: New Status in “xfce4-panel” package in Ubuntu: Triaged Bug description: 1) lsb_release -rd Description: Ubuntu precise (development branch) Release: 12.04 2) apt-cache policy xfce4-panel xfce4-panel: Installed: 4.8.6-2ubuntu2 Candidate: 4.8.6-2ubuntu2 Version table: *** 4.8.6-2ubuntu2 0 500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/universe i386 Packages 100 /var/lib/dpkg/status 3) What is expected to happen is when one clicks the Wireless icon -> More networks one sees the many more networks in the area as it did in Oneiric. 4) What happens instead is it shows a vertically thin, horizontal bar (please see attached screenshot). This problem occurs after an unknown amount of time or number of wireless connects/disconnects. WORKAROUND: Restart. ProblemType: Bug DistroRelease: Ubuntu 12.04 Package: xfce4-panel 4.8.6-2ubuntu2 ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.2.0-23.36-generic 3.2.14 Uname: Linux 3.2.0-23-generic i686 ApportVersion: 2.0.1-0ubuntu4 Architecture: i386 Date: Mon Apr 30 23:32:49 2012 InstallationMedia: Xubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release i386 (20111012) ProcEnviron: LANGUAGE=en_US:en TERM=xterm PATH=(custom, no user) LANG=en_US.UTF-8 SHELL=/bin/bash SourcePackage: xfce4-panel UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to precise on 2012-04-06 (24 days ago) To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/network-manager-applet/+bug/992368/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages Post to : desktop-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~desktop-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp