diff --git a/release/sysinstall/install.c b/release/sysinstall/install.c
index 32b98e3e5d22..5b0fb1372189 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/install.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/install.c
@@ -499,12 +499,12 @@ installNovice(dialogMenuItem *self)
     }
     if (mediaDevice->type != DEVICE_TYPE_FTP && mediaDevice->type != DEVICE_TYPE_NFS) {
 	if (!msgYesNo("Would you like to configure any SLIP/PPP or network interface devices?")) {
-	    Device *save = mediaDevice;
+	    Device *tmp;
 
-	    /* This will also set the media device, which we don't want */
-	    tcpDeviceSelect();
-	    /* so we restore our saved value below */
-	    mediaDevice = save;
+	    tmp = tcpDeviceSelect();
+	    if (tmp && !msgYesNo("Would you like to bring the %s interface up right now?", tmp->name))
+		if (!tmp->init(tmp))
+		    msgConfirm("Initialization of %s device failed.", tmp->name);
 	    dialog_clear_norefresh();
 	}
     }
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/media.c b/release/sysinstall/media.c
index 8362b7b16d30..09e272fa8a59 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/media.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/media.c
@@ -335,18 +335,16 @@ mediaSetFTP(dialogMenuItem *self)
 				"would you like to skip over it now?") != 0) {
 	if (networkDev)
 	    networkDev->shutdown(networkDev);
-	networkDev = NULL;
-	if (!tcpDeviceSelect()) {
+	if (!(networkDev = tcpDeviceSelect())) {
 	    variable_unset(VAR_FTP_PATH);
 	    return DITEM_FAILURE | what;
 	}
-	if (!mediaDevice || !mediaDevice->init(mediaDevice)) {
-	    if (isDebug())
-		msgDebug("mediaSetFTP: Net device init failed.\n");
-	    variable_unset(VAR_FTP_PATH);
-	    return DITEM_FAILURE | what;
-	}
-	networkDev = mediaDevice;
+    }
+    if (!networkDev->init(networkDev)) {
+	if (isDebug())
+	    msgDebug("mediaSetFTP: Net device init failed.\n");
+	variable_unset(VAR_FTP_PATH);
+	return DITEM_FAILURE | what;
     }
     hostname = cp + 6;
     if ((cp = index(hostname, ':')) != NULL) {
@@ -448,15 +446,12 @@ mediaSetNFS(dialogMenuItem *self)
 				"would you like to skip over it now?") != 0) {
 	if (networkDev)
 	    networkDev->shutdown(networkDev);
-	networkDev = NULL;
-	if (!tcpDeviceSelect())
+	if (!(networkDev = tcpDeviceSelect()))
 	    return DITEM_FAILURE;
-	if (!mediaDevice || !mediaDevice->init(mediaDevice)) {
-	    if (isDebug())
-		msgDebug("mediaSetNFS: Net device init failed\n");
-	    return DITEM_FAILURE;
-	}
-	networkDev = mediaDevice;
+    }
+    if (!networkDev->init(networkDev)) {
+	if (isDebug())
+	    msgDebug("mediaSetNFS: Net device init failed\n");
     }
     if (variable_get(VAR_NAMESERVER)) {
 	if ((gethostbyname(cp) == NULL) && (inet_addr(cp) == INADDR_NONE)) {
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.h b/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.h
index 087cc0d750ca..2d5c5d54cbed 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.h
+++ b/release/sysinstall/sysinstall.h
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ extern void	mediaShutdownTape(Device *dev);
 /* tcpip.c */
 extern int	tcpOpenDialog(Device *dev);
 extern int	tcpMenuSelect(dialogMenuItem *self);
-extern Boolean	tcpDeviceSelect(void);
+extern Device	*tcpDeviceSelect(void);
 
 /* termcap.c */
 extern int	set_termcap(void);
diff --git a/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c b/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c
index b9934218138a..e6056604d0a3 100644
--- a/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c
+++ b/release/sysinstall/tcpip.c
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ tcpOpenDialog(Device *devp)
     return ret;
 }
 
+static Device *NetDev;
+
 static int
 netHook(dialogMenuItem *self)
 {
@@ -317,33 +319,31 @@ netHook(dialogMenuItem *self)
     devs = deviceFindDescr(self->prompt, self->title, DEVICE_TYPE_NETWORK);
     if (devs) {
 	if (DITEM_STATUS(tcpOpenDialog(devs[0])) != DITEM_FAILURE)
-	    mediaDevice = devs[0];
+	    NetDev = devs[0];
 	else
-	    devs = NULL;
+	    NetDev = NULL;
     }
     return devs ? DITEM_LEAVE_MENU : DITEM_FAILURE;
 }
 
 /* Get a network device */
-Boolean
+Device *
 tcpDeviceSelect(void)
 {
     DMenu *menu;
-    Device **devs;
+    Device **devs, *rval;
     int cnt;
-    int status;
 
     devs = deviceFind(NULL, DEVICE_TYPE_NETWORK);
     cnt = deviceCount(devs);
     if (!cnt) {
 	msgConfirm("No network devices available!");
-	status = FALSE;
+	rval = NULL;
     }
     else if (cnt == 1) {
 	if (DITEM_STATUS(tcpOpenDialog(devs[0]) == DITEM_FAILURE))
-	    return FALSE;
-	mediaDevice = devs[0];
-	status = TRUE;
+	    return NULL;
+	rval = devs[0];
     }
     else {
 	menu = deviceCreateMenu(&MenuNetworkDevice, DEVICE_TYPE_NETWORK, netHook, NULL);
@@ -351,14 +351,20 @@ tcpDeviceSelect(void)
 	    msgFatal("Unable to create network device menu!  Argh!");
 	status = dmenuOpenSimple(menu, FALSE);
 	free(menu);
+	rval = NetDev;
     }
-    return status;
+    return rval;
 }
 
 /* Do it from a menu that doesn't care about status */
 int
 tcpMenuSelect(dialogMenuItem *self)
 {
-    (void)tcpDeviceSelect();
+    Device *tmp;
+
+    tmp = tcpDeviceSelect();
+    if (tmp && !msgYesNo("Would you like to bring the %s interface up right now?", tmp->name))
+	if (!tmp->init(tmp))
+	    msgConfirm("Initialization of %s device failed.", tmp->name);
     return DITEM_SUCCESS | DITEM_RESTORE;
 }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sade/install.c b/usr.sbin/sade/install.c
index 32b98e3e5d22..5b0fb1372189 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sade/install.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sade/install.c
@@ -499,12 +499,12 @@ installNovice(dialogMenuItem *self)
     }
     if (mediaDevice->type != DEVICE_TYPE_FTP && mediaDevice->type != DEVICE_TYPE_NFS) {
 	if (!msgYesNo("Would you like to configure any SLIP/PPP or network interface devices?")) {
-	    Device *save = mediaDevice;
+	    Device *tmp;
 
-	    /* This will also set the media device, which we don't want */
-	    tcpDeviceSelect();
-	    /* so we restore our saved value below */
-	    mediaDevice = save;
+	    tmp = tcpDeviceSelect();
+	    if (tmp && !msgYesNo("Would you like to bring the %s interface up right now?", tmp->name))
+		if (!tmp->init(tmp))
+		    msgConfirm("Initialization of %s device failed.", tmp->name);
 	    dialog_clear_norefresh();
 	}
     }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sade/sade.h b/usr.sbin/sade/sade.h
index 087cc0d750ca..2d5c5d54cbed 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sade/sade.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/sade/sade.h
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ extern void	mediaShutdownTape(Device *dev);
 /* tcpip.c */
 extern int	tcpOpenDialog(Device *dev);
 extern int	tcpMenuSelect(dialogMenuItem *self);
-extern Boolean	tcpDeviceSelect(void);
+extern Device	*tcpDeviceSelect(void);
 
 /* termcap.c */
 extern int	set_termcap(void);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/install.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/install.c
index 32b98e3e5d22..5b0fb1372189 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/install.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/install.c
@@ -499,12 +499,12 @@ installNovice(dialogMenuItem *self)
     }
     if (mediaDevice->type != DEVICE_TYPE_FTP && mediaDevice->type != DEVICE_TYPE_NFS) {
 	if (!msgYesNo("Would you like to configure any SLIP/PPP or network interface devices?")) {
-	    Device *save = mediaDevice;
+	    Device *tmp;
 
-	    /* This will also set the media device, which we don't want */
-	    tcpDeviceSelect();
-	    /* so we restore our saved value below */
-	    mediaDevice = save;
+	    tmp = tcpDeviceSelect();
+	    if (tmp && !msgYesNo("Would you like to bring the %s interface up right now?", tmp->name))
+		if (!tmp->init(tmp))
+		    msgConfirm("Initialization of %s device failed.", tmp->name);
 	    dialog_clear_norefresh();
 	}
     }
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/media.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/media.c
index 8362b7b16d30..09e272fa8a59 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/media.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/media.c
@@ -335,18 +335,16 @@ mediaSetFTP(dialogMenuItem *self)
 				"would you like to skip over it now?") != 0) {
 	if (networkDev)
 	    networkDev->shutdown(networkDev);
-	networkDev = NULL;
-	if (!tcpDeviceSelect()) {
+	if (!(networkDev = tcpDeviceSelect())) {
 	    variable_unset(VAR_FTP_PATH);
 	    return DITEM_FAILURE | what;
 	}
-	if (!mediaDevice || !mediaDevice->init(mediaDevice)) {
-	    if (isDebug())
-		msgDebug("mediaSetFTP: Net device init failed.\n");
-	    variable_unset(VAR_FTP_PATH);
-	    return DITEM_FAILURE | what;
-	}
-	networkDev = mediaDevice;
+    }
+    if (!networkDev->init(networkDev)) {
+	if (isDebug())
+	    msgDebug("mediaSetFTP: Net device init failed.\n");
+	variable_unset(VAR_FTP_PATH);
+	return DITEM_FAILURE | what;
     }
     hostname = cp + 6;
     if ((cp = index(hostname, ':')) != NULL) {
@@ -448,15 +446,12 @@ mediaSetNFS(dialogMenuItem *self)
 				"would you like to skip over it now?") != 0) {
 	if (networkDev)
 	    networkDev->shutdown(networkDev);
-	networkDev = NULL;
-	if (!tcpDeviceSelect())
+	if (!(networkDev = tcpDeviceSelect()))
 	    return DITEM_FAILURE;
-	if (!mediaDevice || !mediaDevice->init(mediaDevice)) {
-	    if (isDebug())
-		msgDebug("mediaSetNFS: Net device init failed\n");
-	    return DITEM_FAILURE;
-	}
-	networkDev = mediaDevice;
+    }
+    if (!networkDev->init(networkDev)) {
+	if (isDebug())
+	    msgDebug("mediaSetNFS: Net device init failed\n");
     }
     if (variable_get(VAR_NAMESERVER)) {
 	if ((gethostbyname(cp) == NULL) && (inet_addr(cp) == INADDR_NONE)) {
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.h b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.h
index 087cc0d750ca..2d5c5d54cbed 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.h
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/sysinstall.h
@@ -666,7 +666,7 @@ extern void	mediaShutdownTape(Device *dev);
 /* tcpip.c */
 extern int	tcpOpenDialog(Device *dev);
 extern int	tcpMenuSelect(dialogMenuItem *self);
-extern Boolean	tcpDeviceSelect(void);
+extern Device	*tcpDeviceSelect(void);
 
 /* termcap.c */
 extern int	set_termcap(void);
diff --git a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c
index b9934218138a..e6056604d0a3 100644
--- a/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c
+++ b/usr.sbin/sysinstall/tcpip.c
@@ -309,6 +309,8 @@ tcpOpenDialog(Device *devp)
     return ret;
 }
 
+static Device *NetDev;
+
 static int
 netHook(dialogMenuItem *self)
 {
@@ -317,33 +319,31 @@ netHook(dialogMenuItem *self)
     devs = deviceFindDescr(self->prompt, self->title, DEVICE_TYPE_NETWORK);
     if (devs) {
 	if (DITEM_STATUS(tcpOpenDialog(devs[0])) != DITEM_FAILURE)
-	    mediaDevice = devs[0];
+	    NetDev = devs[0];
 	else
-	    devs = NULL;
+	    NetDev = NULL;
     }
     return devs ? DITEM_LEAVE_MENU : DITEM_FAILURE;
 }
 
 /* Get a network device */
-Boolean
+Device *
 tcpDeviceSelect(void)
 {
     DMenu *menu;
-    Device **devs;
+    Device **devs, *rval;
     int cnt;
-    int status;
 
     devs = deviceFind(NULL, DEVICE_TYPE_NETWORK);
     cnt = deviceCount(devs);
     if (!cnt) {
 	msgConfirm("No network devices available!");
-	status = FALSE;
+	rval = NULL;
     }
     else if (cnt == 1) {
 	if (DITEM_STATUS(tcpOpenDialog(devs[0]) == DITEM_FAILURE))
-	    return FALSE;
-	mediaDevice = devs[0];
-	status = TRUE;
+	    return NULL;
+	rval = devs[0];
     }
     else {
 	menu = deviceCreateMenu(&MenuNetworkDevice, DEVICE_TYPE_NETWORK, netHook, NULL);
@@ -351,14 +351,20 @@ tcpDeviceSelect(void)
 	    msgFatal("Unable to create network device menu!  Argh!");
 	status = dmenuOpenSimple(menu, FALSE);
 	free(menu);
+	rval = NetDev;
     }
-    return status;
+    return rval;
 }
 
 /* Do it from a menu that doesn't care about status */
 int
 tcpMenuSelect(dialogMenuItem *self)
 {
-    (void)tcpDeviceSelect();
+    Device *tmp;
+
+    tmp = tcpDeviceSelect();
+    if (tmp && !msgYesNo("Would you like to bring the %s interface up right now?", tmp->name))
+	if (!tmp->init(tmp))
+	    msgConfirm("Initialization of %s device failed.", tmp->name);
     return DITEM_SUCCESS | DITEM_RESTORE;
 }