can't access wireless internet at library any more

I'm not sure if this belongs in Software, or possibly Hardware, but I've searched both of those Forums plus this one and don't really know what I did wrong.

I have a Dell Inspiron 8600 laptop, about a year or so old, running Win XP Home (version 5.1.2600, SP2) It has a Broadcom 440x 10/100 Integrated Controller.

Used to be, I could go to the local library and also to a friend's house and mooch their broadband as dh only wants us to have dial-up at home. I admit, wicked and silly me, that a few weeks ago I fiddled around in msconfig b/c this stupid thing kept coming up on the taskbar (at home) about Wireless Networks and hubby and I got tired of seeing it. I don't remember exactly what I disabled, duh, I know, whack my hind with a melon rind.

So I tried going to System Restore and put it back a few weeks, but it still is saying it won't let me connect when I go to library.

Network Connections >Local area connection says "Network cable unplugged." On Device Mgr, it shows the Broadcom enabled and functioning. I looked up "Network cable unplugged" on the forums here and am still at a loss as most folks were actually physically plugged in to exterior cables, routers, etc. All I have is this li'l wireless laptop.

(a) Is this probably a hardware problem (like messed-up Network Interface Card) and thus Sayonara to bumming off the library's broadband? -- or --

(b) Could I have messed with some setting and now the puter only *thinks* its cable is unplugged? I ran C:\windows\systerm32\cmd.exe and saw the following, FWIW:
Ethernet adapter -- both Local Area Connection and Wireless Network Connection -- "Media disconnected".

(c) What information do you intelligent people need to know to start helping me figure out how to repent of my sins? Other than kicking myself in the pants for meddling in things too great for my peabrain, what should I try first? I've already checked drivers ad nauseum.

Sorry if this is incoherent, but I am soooo out of my league with this b/c when I first configued for the library and my friend's house, it was a breeze.

Thanks for your patience!

 

Thanks. As far as I can tell, it *is* enabled b /c the choice when I right click is to *dis*able. Go figure. I think the only unticked stuff deals with either Quicktime, java, my hp printer, and AOL (which I don't use -- tho perhaps there are shared files?). I'll keep looking, but hmmmmmm ... can't think of what I don't have checked. I'm going to try again at library (expecting icy weather in my state, so probably be next week) b/c hubby suggested Fn+F2.

Again, grazie, and I'll keep looking, but if you think of anything .... I think you've helped me before, too.

 

Halo, darlin',
Guess where I am? On the internet at the library *using my Dell laptop*! <giggle> Dunno what happened, but here's all I did (after praying to Saint Jude, patron of hopeless cases such as self): tried hubby's suggestion of Fn+F2 (he does this on similar puter at his work), nothing happened, kept fiddling with "Wireless Internet Connection" as I had done before both at library and home, finally did the Disable/Enable thingy one more time, and voila! Success. Go figure.

Thanks for hanging in there, buddy.

PS - You helped me a while back to pick out a keyboard for this laptop. Parents bought me a *bodacious* MS ergo board (with a zoom that I thought I wouldn't use but in fact have) and I LOVE it. So thanks doubly!