Ethernet cable in laptop, but no hi-speed connectivity

I sure hope this is an easy fix. I've been travelling a lot and I'm at a place with hi-speed Adelphi, but when I connect the ethernet cable, it says "no connectivity" yet it says the device is working properly. I click "repair" but it says it can't complete because it can't renew my IP address. I have Windows XP and I disabled my wireless connection...I can only think of 2 things: Do I have to download anything to make it work? While I was in IN, i had to download software to make their hi-speed work (college campus) and I cannot uninstall it. Can this be messing it up? When I try to remove this software, it says "setup.exe has encountered a problem..." and it won't continue. This may have nothing to do with it, but just in case, I thought I'd share. Can I remove this software through a registry cleaner? I tried to do it through system restore, but for some reason, I could only go back a few days and it didn't reach back far enough to the time I installed the software. I know, my bad...I should always create a restore point when I add something.

Anyway, please help when you can. I'm so sick of having to dial-up.

Thanks!
Stephanie