I know that this is probably something stupid

[tw]

Originally Posted by wolf

I do not recall changing any settings or anything like that.

Unfortunately to make it more 'user friendly', Vista eliminated many powerful tools. One was found when right clicking on the Network Icon on the dashboard (the bottom right corner where the clock is also located).

The options in that list included Repair.

Some places to find problems include Device Manager (found in Computer Management). Any hardware problem is flagged.

Another is the system event logs. These may mean nothing to you. But would be essential for others to provide useful replies.

HP also has a switch to power off the wireless while on a plane. And often an adjacent light that says if the Wifi is seeing other sites. Your Wifi may be off and only reported previously discovered Wifiis.

And finally, get a free program called Netstumbler. It does not work on all WiFi hardware. And will say if it does not. But if your Wifi is really working, then NetStumbler will not only make that obvious. And make finding future Wifi connections easier.