Please help! Internet cafe wireless connections not working.

Yesterday, I downloaded and installed Ubuntu 7.04 on my computer. I installed it so that it takes up the entire hard drive; Windows is no more. I have an entire set of Windows backup disks, but I hope not to need them.

One of my issues is that I do not have internet of my own. Instead, I take my laptop to various cafes and bookstores that have free wireless internet. With Windows, all I had to do was pull up my wireless network settings, and Windows would search for any available wireless networks then provide me with a list to choose from. Ignorantly, I assumed that Ubuntu would work the same way without really researching it.

I have tried using the troubleshooting guide, but frankly, I don't understand it. I am not computer savvy in the least -- I don't know what wireless routers and drivers and cards are, or how they work, or which ones I have, if I have any. I don't know how to find out. I tried entering one of the commands to find my wireless driver in a terminal, but did not understand any of the data that popped up. (I'm sorry, but the terminal will not let me scroll in either direction to see the command, and I cannot refind the webpage I got the command off of, so I'm not certain what command I used.)

I have tried going to System --> Administration --> Network. In the connections tab, the three items are Wireless Connection, Wired Connection, and Modem Connection. The checkbox by Wireless Connection has a dash (-) through it, instead of a checkmark like the box by Wired Connection. The Modem Connection also hac a dash through its checkbox. Underneath Wireless Connection, it says "Roaming mode enabled." (I have tried using my connection with roaming enabled and disabled.)

When I go to the properties for the wireless connection, it does not have a box to enable to connection. Thle only checkbox is to enable or disable to wireless network. When I enable the roaming mode, all my options go blank and unchangable. When the options are available, I do not know what to put in the boxes, since I do not have my own internet connection.

I have also tried clicking the network connection in the top right-hand corner of my screen and selecting the option "Connect to Other Wireless Network," then entering the name of the one wireless network I remember. It does not find the network. Sometimes it shows two circles with a blue line drawing a connection around them over and over, then reverts back to the picture of the two computers. Sometimes it shows a set of bars, much like the bars for cell phone service, but they are all blank, like there is no service, even though I know that it should be at full service for the wireless network in that location.

I am sorry I cannot provide more information. If you will let me know what other information will help, and how I can locate what you need, I will do my best to get it as soon as possible. I am having to drop by the library to use the internet here, but I will respond in as timely a fashion as possible.

Thanks in advance!