Dialup Internet Access

I have tried installing both linksys and also Dynex notebook cards following the instructions completely, but I can’t get either to install. I have a wireless router (linksys). After all my attempted tries at installation, I keep getting a message that I am not connected to the device. I got the laptop at a yard sale, and it originally came with a smartkey but the seller did not know the password anymore. So in order to use the computer at all I had to install a brand new xp program, to bypass not having the code for the original smartkey. Is this why I may be having problems with connecting? The previous owner had no trouble connecting to the internet, but I cannot because it won’t recognize any modem. Any ideas how I can get around this. I travel for months at a time and need to have some kind of connection to a modem, either for WIFI or for phone dialup. I am at wits end. Any thoughts?

I have 2 laptops one old its Compaq Presario model:1201EA I use dialup connection and same times I use 3com 10l100 LAN pc card but it does not work sometimes… im traveling for emergency “my friends mother has cancer and im going to meet them in Bangkok if they need help” and I want to take it with me instead of the new laptop…. my questions are:
1- How can make it run faster?
2- Why dose the pc card disconnect by itself every 1 or even less than 1 minute?
3- Can I put the laptop in the suitcase instead of carrying it with me?

I might be leaving in 2 or 3 days so I can’t take it for repair,

Thanks guys

I have peoplepc Dialup and I have an E-MAil address but I cannot send E-MAil.I send the MAil and it says sent but then I get an answer stating that my E-Mail was not sendable and we will keep trying to send but my mail never gets to the people i am sending it to.The E-Mail addresses I am trying to send are correct can someone help me set up E-Mail so I can send mail.I am using Yahoo for my E-Mail I need step by step instructions on how to set this up. Also I need to know how to set up E-Mail so I can send and receive mail through outlook express.when i go to outlook to check mail i get an error and my computer logs off.I need to send some E-Mail and I need to know step by step on how to set up my outlook express when using peoplepc.Please someone help.
I forgot to mention that I am using windows xp service pack 1.

i went from dialup to dsl and the guy that put it in left a web tool bar on my puter how do i remove it?

I dont use its dialup capabilities. Only use routing features. Running the first release of Cisco Software Os v12.1