a lot of trouble connecting

Sorry in advance. This is probably going to be long. I feel i am going to have to tell you all the steps i have gone thought so whom helps me will know my full situation.

It started about a week ago. I had a d-link (di-524) router on my computer, but it stared to act up not letting me on the internet at all. it was acting like it was not installed and therefore no signal.

i tried to find a uninstall but i could not find on on the cd or on my computer, it is not even under the add & remove programs. So i just reinstalled it. That did not seem to work either so i just disconnected it and connected back to Sympatico.

So here the main problem begins. When i click on the sympatico icon, it shows it is connected. But i can not receive emails or IE6 will not open, it just stays a blank white screen.

i did try deleting the sympatico connection and making a new one. But it did the same thing. i even tried unplugging the router (speedstread 5360) and restarting the button in the back of it. Still nothing.

I then called Sympatico and the tech told me to do a few tests.
1. run/cmd type in bing (leave a space) then type the yahoo’s site address but nothing happened still the white screen.
2. run/ipconfig he said it was showing as another ip address, so then he asked me if i had wireless on my computer and i told him my situation and told him what all i did.
3. he got me to delete and make yet another sympatico connection. still noting.
4. i was told to go into the local area connection/properties/internet protocol (tcp/ip)/properties and enter the sympatico ip addresses. Type the following information:
• IP address: 192.168.2.2
• Subnet mask: 255.255.255.0
• Default gateway: 192.168.2.1
• Preferred DNS server: 192.168.2.1
5. Then i was told to go to the device manager and delete the network adapters and go to action/look for new programs. and to back to the sympatico icon and try again/ Still noting.
6. Last thing he got me to do was run/msconfig and select the start-up tab and select disable all. Restart the computer, and still noting.
When all was said and done the tech said "well there is nothing else i can do", contact you computer provider "Dell", do you want there phone number? 1 800 847 4096. Tell them we did all we could and tell then that from our end (sympatico) it shows you are getting the right signal.
I did try to call dell, but i was on hold for a while.
i hope someone can help, thank you. Like i said before i am sorry this was very long.
also if i am using broadband high-speed, when would i have to have a LAC? what is the purpose of a LAN?
Thanks again.
Kimberley
op system xp media, computer was bought Nov 2006