New laptop and Router will not talk to each other

[#1]

I have a brand new Dell laptop - but it won't connect to our wireless router, a Netgear DG834GT.
It can see it, but doesn't ask for the security key.
If I try Internet Explorer, and input the router address, it tells me that is not a valid address. 
The router was bought pre-Vista, and we have a desktop and a laptop, both running XP, both playing nicely with the router.
The new laptop has inbuilt dell wireless 1390 wlan mini card
Now, there are all sorts of things out there on the web, but I need the technospeak reduced to plain English.
I am getting error messages that appear to be telling me that my nice new laptop is not compatible with our router. 
Do we need to get a new router?? And if so, what type?

[#2]

The wonders of Vista; no you don't need a new router.

[#3]

Then what?

[#4]

I would try Dell Knowledge base first. http://support.euro.dell.com/support/index.aspx?c=uk&l=en&s=gen&~ck=cr

[#5]

Have had a look, and at the forums, but as I really don't understand the technospeak, it's double dutch to me.
My husband's work laptop also has the same problem here, but he never bothered to solve it! He can connect everywhere but here.

[#6]

I don't know why people post a half-assed comments that are not helpful, but never mind
Did you set up the router or did some do it for you?
I will try and help but I don't have the same router.
Access the router by typing 192.168.0.1 into the browser address bar, this will take you to the router interface, it may ask you for username and password. If you haven't set your own user and password the default is admin and password.
Go into the section Wireless Setting <snip>
Edited in favour of ReedRichards post below

[#7]

Quote from: Tigger

we have a desktop and a laptop, both running XP, both playing nicely with the router.

Wired or wireless, you didn't say?

[#8]

Similar idea as Santiago's but slightly different.  Follow his steps until you get to the router Wireless Settings.
Under 'Wireless Settings' look for 'Wireless Station Access List' and click the button to the right that says 'Set up access list'.  A new page opens.  At the top there is a box saying 'Turn access control on'. If this box is checked then uncheck the box and click 'Apply' at the bottom.  If this box was not checked then the problem lies elsewhere.
On my Netgear router, which is a different model, deselecting 'Wireless Access Point' as Santiago suggests would turn off the wireless signal completely!     

[#9]

Sorry, guys, it's not that! Box is already unchecked.

[#10]

Quote from: Tigger

I have a brand new Dell laptop - but it won't connect to our wireless router, a Netgear DG834GT. It can see it, but doesn't ask for the security key.

Are you following the procedure below to connect?
Right click the connection icon on the taskbar and select 'Connect to a network'.  A new window opens with a list of all the network connections and available wireless networks.  Click your network (which will be called NETGEAR by default).  Make sure that is the only one listed (your neighbour might have a Netgear router also).  Then click the Connect button at the bottom of the window.  After a moment you should be prompted for a wireless key.

[#11]

It's not the Vista DHCP problem is it guy's ? http://support.microsoft.com/kb/928233
I wouldn't have thought so , since the DHCP negotiation is presumably after the Wireless authentication but its worth a try...

[#12]

Quote from: HPsauce

Wired or wireless, you didn't say?

And still haven't..........
Also, what firmware version is the router running and is that the latest?

[#13]

Quote from: Tigger

The new laptop has inbuilt dell wireless 1390 wlan mini card

With this info suspect they are trying to use wireless 

[#14]

Yes, it's wireless, and yes, of course I've followed the usual steps - I don't get prompted for a key.
The error message I get is that "the wireless authentication settings on this computer do not match the requirements of this network"

[#15]

The only time i saw that was when there was already a Netgear access setup on a visiting laptop - once the owner deleted it the problem was solved
Can you go into the wireless network details in Vista and see if there is a spurious one there.
As I don't have wireless on this machine I can't be more specific - sorry