The launcher told me patch 2.1 is ready and asked if I wanted to update. I said yes, then the launcher said "unable to connect". Now whenever I start the launcher, I get the "unable to connect" message and an info box popup. What's up with that?

The message seems self explanatory...
Visit www.thewitcher.com and download it manually if you have connectivity problems...

It is self explanatory to the unwashed masses. To the anointed, however, it is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

The anointed you speak of would know when the servers may be overloaded or they themselves might be experiencing connection problems. They would also know that internet is as fickle as a woman...

It's common sense in today's day an age... though I realise common sense is not very common, actually it is so uncommon it is probably a super power.

Has anyone patched the game via the launcher?

Just did. Download a bit slow (about 400Kps), but it worked just fine, regardless.

Pfft. Mine still refuses to connect. Says it will retry in 10 sec, but then it apparently never does. Oh well, I noticed that no account login is needed to download the patch from thewitcher.com, so I guess I'll do that.

I am sure other on-line services are hosting the patch as well...
try: http://games.softpedia.com/get/Patch/The-Witcher-2-Assassins-of-Kings-Patch.shtml

Yeah, I d/l fine via launcher.

I know I can get the patch elsewhere. I'm just wondering about the launcher. Why do I always get a warped one?

Might not be getting past my firewall I suppose, though I've had no firewall messages. I'll look into that.

I just patched up about 2 hours ago, everything seemed fine via launcher. Any news on your firewall?

Stupid question, but how do you actually install the patch, and how can you see if it's actually applied?

The download went well enough, but it just says 'Patch 2.1 is ready to be installed' and nowhere I can actually do it?

You need to run the game as an administrator for the install to take place...
Right click on it and select the appropriate option, this works in Games folder as well...

Worked! Thanks a lot mate,

You've spend too much time reading the words of TheEnigmaticT, have you? ;-)