My wireless won't work (Dell Latitude e5400)... PLEASE help me out.

So.  I have a Dell Latitude E5400 with an Intel WiFi Link 5100 AGN wireless adapter, and I recently bought a Verizon hot spot.  I was getting on the web before, but my connection would randomly drop, and other computers can use the network just fine.  So I read somewhere on this forum that I should install the new version of the Dell ControlPoint Connection Manager.  So I did. 

I should note that before installing the new version of the Dell software, I did uninstall the old version first and then tried to use just windows, but couldn't get an IP.  Before I was getting an IP but my wireless would come and go.

Now, with the newest version of ControlPoint Connection Manager software installed, Windows can see the wireless network, but can't acquire an IP address, and the ControlPoint Connection manager doesn't seem to recognize that the machine has wireless at all.  E.g., when the utility window is open, the only thing listed in the "Device Status" tab is Ethernet.  And when I go to "Connection Status" I don't have the option to switch to WiFi.  But when I go to the options window (program settings) it recognizes Wi-Fi as one of the "Available technologies" and the box is checked. 

I personally don't care if I use Dell's software or Windows, I just want it to work.  PLEASE, somebody, help me out with this one.   I desperately need a solution for this.  My job pretty much depends on it.

Thanks,

Lane

P.S. I'm running Windows XP SP3.