aaarrrghhh! oh my god! in my 'network connections' folder, I now have 'lan or high-speed internet' and also a 'internet gateway' both which say 'connected! is this it??

I don't know. Are you running wireless? Can you make a connection?

If not what is the difference from before?

Internet Gateway?

how do i try? just unplug the ethernet cable?

Turn off the computer and unplug the ethernet.

And then reboot.

You may need to run release/ renew again.

ok. will try!!

no luck I'm afraid. anything else?

Thanks to Jephree for continuing to help

Just a quickie Andrea, has your laptop got a switch to switch the wireless on or off?

mine has I have to press the funtion key and F1 to activate wireless

hiya again, yes it has a button on the front. I also noticed it has a picture of what looks like a wireless type icon on the f8 key. I've tried pressing the fn key with it, but nothing happens...

on the desktop have you got an icon called my network places, can you right click on it, then click on veiw network connections, is your wireless card listed?

hiya, sorry have been away a couple of days. No, there is only my 'high-speed internet connection' in the network places.