No internet connection on XP/Vista Dual OS

Hello,

I'm new here so forgive me if I posted this in the wrong directory but I figured this would be correct because it's specific.

I have a 3-year old Gateway ML6732 laptop and I just recently got the idea to dual boot with Windows XP (Service Pack 3). The installation was successful, and after grueling searches for finding the proper drivers for the ML6732 using XP (because it originally loaded with Windows Vista), everything works, except for connecting to the internet (and for some reason Internet Explorer does not open). I checked under the configurations and the Realtek driver is working properly, I used the troubleshooting/solutions pages at microsoft, creating a new wireless network under the Wireless Network Connection properties tab, but to no working.

There's a link I'm missing between my laptop connecting to my Belkin N (F5D8236-4 v1) router. If anyone can help or give me proper directions to solving the problem that would be appreciated, otherwise by not connecting to the internet I cannot fully finish my dual boot and forever be locked out of Vista.

 

Which OS is IE not opening in, and which OS is not able to connect to the Internet. And why in the world, would you load a 10 plus year old OS on that machine, when you can run it in a VM.

 

Windows XP can't connect to the internet and Internet Explorer is not opening in XP (I can't get back into Vista because I can't activate XP because I can't connect to the internet), plus I installed XP for nostalgic reasons. The Driver I'm using is "Realtek RTL8187B Wireless 802.11b/g verson 5.1158.113.2009." I'm having other problems but connecting the internet is the most important to me right now.