Maybe recent updates improved things: it just hangs for a small while if it is going to ask a password (using the gnome keyring) - it still does not display any progress information or wether the connection is in progress, but it does not lock up anymore in feisty.
-- panel hangs while opening a network place from the menu https://launchpad.net/bugs/69281 -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs