problem configuring wireless on laptop

Have you hooked the laptop to the wired connect to get fully updated?

do you have a wireless router setup? Does your laptop have a wireless card or built in wireless?
Did wireless Internet ever work on this computer?

please open a terminal by pressing CTRL+ALT+T and run this command
nm-tool && uname -a && lsb_release -a && sudo lshw -C network && lspci -v

please post the output of that command here for review.

Nathan Heafner requested more information:
do you have a wireless router setup? Does your laptop have a wireless card or built in wireless?
Did wireless Internet ever work on this computer?

please open a terminal by pressing CTRL+ALT+T and run this command
nm-tool && uname -a && lsb_release -a && sudo lshw -C network && lspci -v

please post the output of that command here for review.

Capabilities:
    Carrier Detect: yes
    Speed: 100 Mb/s

  Wired Properties
    Carrier: on

  IPv4 Settings:
    Address: 192.168.1.67
    Prefix: 24 (255.255.255.0)
    Gateway: 192.168.1.254

    DNS: 192.168.1.254

Linux mrlee-MM061 3.0.0-14-generic #23-Ubuntu SMP Mon Nov 21 20:34:47 UTC 2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 11.10
Release: 11.10
Codename: oneiric
[sudo] password for mrlee:

my lap DOES have wireless built in and DID work when 10.4 was installed

Action- yes...I am almost anal about getting updates for both machines...as far as i know, i am as updated as can be.

thanks mr lee. at the end of that command where it says
[sudo] password for mrlee:
you need to type in your admin password to complete the command. Can you please re-run this command
nm-tool && uname -a && lsb_release -a && sudo lshw -C network && lspci -v

and when asked type in your admin password. Note that while you type it will not appear on the screen, this is normal.
it will take a few moments to gather the information. please post that info here.

Nathan- add'l info you requested

Linux mrlee-MM061 3.0.0-14-generic #23-Ubuntu SMP Mon Nov 21 20:34:47 UTC 2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
No LSB modules are available.
Distributor ID: Ubuntu
Description: Ubuntu 11.10
Release: 11.10
Codename: oneiric
  *-network
       description: Network controller
       product: BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN
       vendor: Broadcom Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:0b:00.0
       version: 01
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
       configuration: driver=b43-pci-bridge latency=0
       resources: irq:16 memory:efdfc000-efdfffff
  *-network
       description: Ethernet interface
       product: BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX
       vendor: Broadcom Corporation
       physical id: 0
       bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
       logical name: eth0
       version: 02
       serial: 00:15:c5:c3:fe:07
       size: 100Mbit/s
       capacity: 100Mbit/s
       width: 32 bits
       clock: 33MHz
       capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list ethernet physical mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd autonegotiation
       configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=b44 driverversion=2.0 duplex=full ip=192.168.1.67 latency=64 link=yes multicast=yes port=twisted pair speed=100Mbit/s
       resources: irq:17 memory:ef9fe000-ef9fffff
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/PM/GMS, 943/940GML and 945GT Express Memory Controller Hub (rev 03)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: agpgart-intel

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03) (prog-if 00 [VGA controller])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
    Memory at eff00000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
    I/O ports at eff8 [size=8]
    Memory at d0000000 (32-bit, prefetchable) [size=256M]
    Memory at efec0000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256K]
    Expansion ROM at <unassigned> [disabled]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: i915
    Kernel modules: intelfb, i915

00:02.1 Display controller: Intel Corporation Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME, 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
    Memory at eff80000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=512K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>

00:1b.0 Audio device: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family High Definition Audio Controller (rev 01)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 42
    Memory at efebc000 (64-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: HDA Intel
    Kernel modules: snd-hda-intel

00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 1 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=0b, subordinate=0b, sec-latency=0
    I/O behind bridge: 00002000-00002fff
    Memory behind bridge: efd00000-efdfffff
    Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 0000000040000000-00000000401fffff
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: pcieport
    Kernel modules: shpchp

00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family PCI Express Port 4 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [Normal decode])
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=0c, subordinate=0d, sec-latency=0
    I/O behind bridge: 0000d000-0000dfff
    Memory behind bridge: efa00000-efcfffff
    Prefetchable memory behind bridge: 00000000e0000000-00000000e01fffff
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: pcieport
    Kernel modules: shpchp

00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #1 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
    I/O ports at bf80 [size=32]
    Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #2 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 21
    I/O ports at bf60 [size=32]
    Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #3 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 22
    I/O ports at bf40 [size=32]
    Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.3 USB Controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB UHCI Controller #4 (rev 01) (prog-if 00 [UHCI])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 23
    I/O ports at bf20 [size=32]
    Kernel driver in use: uhci_hcd

00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family USB2 EHCI Controller (rev 01) (prog-if 20 [EHCI])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 20
    Memory at ffa80000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=1K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: ehci_hcd

00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801 Mobile PCI Bridge (rev e1) (prog-if 01 [Subtractive decode])
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0
    Bus: primary=00, secondary=03, subordinate=03, sec-latency=32
    Memory behind bridge: ef900000-ef9fffff
    Capabilities: <access denied>

00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation 82801GBM (ICH7-M) LPC Interface Bridge (rev 01)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 0
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel modules: leds-ss4200, iTCO_wdt, intel-rng

00:1f.2 IDE interface: Intel Corporation 82801GBM/GHM (ICH7 Family) SATA IDE Controller (rev 01) (prog-if 80 [Master])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, 66MHz, medium devsel, latency 0, IRQ 17
    I/O ports at 01f0 [size=8]
    I/O ports at 03f4 [size=1]
    I/O ports at 0170 [size=8]
    I/O ports at 0374 [size=1]
    I/O ports at bfa0 [size=16]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: ata_piix

00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation N10/ICH 7 Family SMBus Controller (rev 01)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 4
    I/O ports at 10c0 [size=32]
    Kernel modules: i2c-i801

03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4401-B0 100Base-TX (rev 02)
    Subsystem: Dell Inspiron 6400
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 64, IRQ 17
    Memory at ef9fe000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=8K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: b44
    Kernel modules: b44

03:01.0 FireWire (IEEE 1394): Ricoh Co Ltd R5C832 IEEE 1394 Controller (prog-if 10 [OHCI])
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 19
    Memory at ef9fd800 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=2K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: firewire_ohci
    Kernel modules: firewire-ohci

03:01.1 SD Host controller: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C822 SD/SDIO/MMC/MS/MSPro Host Adapter (rev 19) (prog-if 01)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 64, IRQ 18
    Memory at ef9fd400 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: sdhci-pci
    Kernel modules: sdhci-pci

03:01.2 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd R5C592 Memory Stick Bus Host Adapter (rev 0a)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 18
    Memory at ef9fd600 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: r592
    Kernel modules: r592

03:01.3 System peripheral: Ricoh Co Ltd xD-Picture Card Controller (rev 05)
    Subsystem: Dell Device 01bd
    Flags: medium devsel, IRQ 18
    Memory at ef9fd700 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: r852
    Kernel modules: r852

0b:00.0 Network controller: Broadcom Corporation BCM4311 802.11b/g WLAN (rev 01)
    Subsystem: Dell Wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-Card
    Flags: bus master, fast devsel, latency 0, IRQ 16
    Memory at efdfc000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=16K]
    Capabilities: <access denied>
    Kernel driver in use: b43-pci-bridge
    Kernel modules: wl, ssb

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/WifiDocs/Driver/bcm43xx

Cheap broadcoms are abundant and easy to setup

so then, is this what i need to do (s/u a broadcom)? because, quite frankly, i took a quick look at it, and i feel a bit intimidated...(still a newbie)...

There is a driver you can enable in the additional drivers. Just work through it, anything I give will just be a copy and paste from the page which is a waste of time