Problem with laptop wireless

I expect you'll all have seen threads like this before, but I did a quick search for my particular problem and there weren't any, so apologies if you've seen this before. (...and if you HAVE seen this before, it'll be easier for you to answer to this, won't it? )

I recently got a new laptop. I've spent a few days installing all the usual stuff, i.e. Ad-Aware, SpyBot, WindowBlinds, etc and I'm about to go on a trip soon.

What I need to know is how to connect my laptop to the wireless internet network I have running in this house. (I've got 3 PCs connected to the net, with the cable running to the one in my bedroom, and the wireless connection to the ones in the study and the other bedroom. [I had a man in to do it for me...I should have done it myself, so I could learn! ])

I've got a card that's apparently for connecting wirelessly to the net. It came free with the laptop. On the card, it says 11Mbps Wireless LAN OfficeConnect PC Card. (Made by 3COM)

I've tried a lot of tinkering using my common sense and I got it to "connect". It says that a connection has been established, but I cannot browse the internet. I'm out of clues as to what to do now-any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

Oh, one more thing...

I forgot to add that, as I said, I will be going on a trip soon. I'm looking to see if there will be any wireless connections I'll use (just to browse the net, use e-mail and MSN-nothing illegal). I'm wondering whether the laptop will connect automatically, or will I have to modify some settings, search a bit or..?

(Yeah, I can be such a newbie sometimes!)

Thanks in advance...

 

May be this can Help: Wireless - Basic Configuration.

Link to: Wireless Security.

When On the Road disable the security and you Laptop probably will fetch any publicly available WIFI connection.