diff --git a/headers/os/add-ons/network_settings/NetworkSettings.h b/headers/os/add-ons/network_settings/NetworkSettings.h
index f90ecc5574..0f2d2e8ede 100644
--- a/headers/os/add-ons/network_settings/NetworkSettings.h
+++ b/headers/os/add-ons/network_settings/NetworkSettings.h
@@ -38,28 +38,33 @@ public:
 			status_t			GetNextInterface(uint32& cookie,
 									BMessage& interface);
 			status_t			GetInterface(const char* name,
-									BMessage& interface);
+									BMessage& interface) const;
 			status_t			AddInterface(const BMessage& interface);
 			status_t			RemoveInterface(const char* name);
 			BNetworkInterfaceSettings
 								Interface(const char* name);
+			const BNetworkInterfaceSettings
+								Interface(const char* name) const;
 
 			int32				CountNetworks() const;
 			status_t			GetNextNetwork(uint32& cookie,
 									BMessage& network) const;
 			status_t			GetNetwork(const char* name,
-									BMessage& network);
+									BMessage& network) const;
 			status_t			AddNetwork(const BMessage& network);
 			status_t			RemoveNetwork(const char* name);
 
 			const BMessage&		Services() const;
 			status_t			GetNextService(uint32& cookie,
 									BMessage& service);
-			status_t			GetService(const char* name, BMessage& service);
+			status_t			GetService(const char* name,
+									BMessage& service) const;
 			status_t			AddService(const BMessage& service);
 			status_t			RemoveService(const char* name);
 			BNetworkServiceSettings
 								Service(const char* name);
+			const BNetworkServiceSettings
+								Service(const char* name) const;
 
 			status_t			StartMonitoring(const BMessenger& target);
 			status_t			StopMonitoring(const BMessenger& target);
@@ -84,10 +89,10 @@ private:
 			status_t			_ConvertNetworkToSettings(BMessage& message);
 			status_t			_ConvertNetworkFromSettings(BMessage& message);
 
-			status_t			_GetItem(BMessage& container,
+			status_t			_GetItem(const BMessage& container,
 									const char* itemField,
 									const char* nameField, const char* name,
-									int32& _index, BMessage& item);
+									int32& _index, BMessage& item) const;
 			status_t			_RemoveItem(BMessage& container,
 									const char* itemField,
 									const char* nameField, const char* name,
@@ -262,6 +267,8 @@ public:
 									BNetworkServiceAddressSettings& address);
 			void				RemoveAddress(int32 index);
 
+			bool				IsRunning() const;
+
 			status_t			GetMessage(BMessage& data) const;
 
 private:
diff --git a/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp b/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp
index 86589be06a..85161f4011 100644
--- a/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp
+++ b/src/kits/network/libnetapi/NetworkSettings.cpp
@@ -25,6 +25,7 @@
 #include <String.h>
 
 #include <DriverSettingsMessageAdapter.h>
+#include <NetServer.h>
 
 
 using namespace BNetworkKit;
@@ -318,7 +319,7 @@ BNetworkSettings::GetNextInterface(uint32& cookie, BMessage& interface)
 
 
 status_t
-BNetworkSettings::GetInterface(const char* name, BMessage& interface)
+BNetworkSettings::GetInterface(const char* name, BMessage& interface) const
 {
 	int32 index;
 	return _GetItem(fInterfaces, "interface", "device", name, index, interface);
@@ -359,6 +360,15 @@ BNetworkSettings::Interface(const char* name)
 }
 
 
+const BNetworkInterfaceSettings
+BNetworkSettings::Interface(const char* name) const
+{
+	BMessage interface;
+	GetInterface(name, interface);
+	return BNetworkInterfaceSettings(interface);
+}
+
+
 int32
 BNetworkSettings::CountNetworks() const
 {
@@ -383,7 +393,7 @@ BNetworkSettings::GetNextNetwork(uint32& cookie, BMessage& network) const
 
 
 status_t
-BNetworkSettings::GetNetwork(const char* name, BMessage& network)
+BNetworkSettings::GetNetwork(const char* name, BMessage& network) const
 {
 	int32 index;
 	return _GetItem(fNetworks, "network", "name", name, index, network);
@@ -435,7 +445,7 @@ BNetworkSettings::GetNextService(uint32& cookie, BMessage& service)
 
 
 status_t
-BNetworkSettings::GetService(const char* name, BMessage& service)
+BNetworkSettings::GetService(const char* name, BMessage& service) const
 {
 	int32 index;
 	return _GetItem(fServices, "service", "name", name, index, service);
@@ -476,6 +486,15 @@ BNetworkSettings::Service(const char* name)
 }
 
 
+const BNetworkServiceSettings
+BNetworkSettings::Service(const char* name) const
+{
+	BMessage service;
+	GetService(name, service);
+	return BNetworkServiceSettings(service);
+}
+
+
 status_t
 BNetworkSettings::StartMonitoring(const BMessenger& target)
 {
@@ -835,8 +854,9 @@ BNetworkSettings::_ConvertNetworkFromSettings(BMessage& message)
 
 
 status_t
-BNetworkSettings::_GetItem(BMessage& container, const char* itemField,
-	const char* nameField, const char* name, int32& _index, BMessage& item)
+BNetworkSettings::_GetItem(const BMessage& container, const char* itemField,
+	const char* nameField, const char* name, int32& _index,
+	BMessage& item) const
 {
 	int32 index = 0;
 	while (container.FindMessage(itemField, index, &item) == B_OK) {
@@ -1662,6 +1682,25 @@ BNetworkServiceSettings::RemoveAddress(int32 index)
 }
 
 
+/*!	This is a convenience method that returns the current state of the
+	service, independent of the current settings.
+*/
+bool
+BNetworkServiceSettings::IsRunning() const
+{
+	BMessage request(kMsgIsServiceRunning);
+	request.AddString("name", fName);
+
+	BMessenger networkServer(kNetServerSignature);
+	BMessage reply;
+	status_t status = networkServer.SendMessage(&request, &reply);
+	if (status == B_OK)
+		return reply.GetBool("running");
+
+	return false;
+}
+
+
 status_t
 BNetworkServiceSettings::GetMessage(BMessage& data) const
 {