After vacation with my powerbook can't get on line

Question

I took my Powerbook with me on vacation because the rental house had wireless. While my airport could see the signal and I could choose it on the drop down I was never able to get on line. Now that I'm home the same issue plagues me. My desktop is connected via wireless to a Verizon MI424WR wireless router. I've noodled around with the Network connection in Sys Prefs but nothing seems to work. I even attempted to copy the IP address from my wife's Powerbook and now that one won't connect.
I know I'm just missing something simple here but I'm also good at not being able to find the car keys in my hand.
All help appreciated.
Running 10.3.9

Answer 1

I was able to get my wife's PB back on line by bringing up the Network window in Sys Prefs. I se the Location to Automatic, and also the By Default, join: to Automatic. Then clicked Apply Now.
I've tried this with my PB and no luck. I'll go through the process now and document as best as possible.
Any attempt to visit a webpage results in a "Problem Loading Page" window. I then turn Airport off and exit Firefox. I then turn Airport back on, the icon shows full black waves and that I'm connected to the Verizon router.
I then open Firefox again and it again shows a "Problem Loading Page" window.
So then I open Sys Prefs and click on Network. I see that Airport has a yellow indicator light and the following message,
"Airport is connected to the network V8FC3. Airport has a self assigned IP address and may not be able to connect to the Internet."
I click Assist me... and the Network Setup Assistant opens. It explains the need to have an Internet connection via Airport, dial-up, etc and asks me what Location Name I want to use and I allow the default (Location mm/dd/yy time) and press Continue.
I'm then taken to the "How Do You Connect to the Internet?" window and I select the Airport button and hit continue.
Next step is to select the wireless network I want to join...select my network, enter password and Continue.
Ready to Connect comes up and I select Continue.
I then get a drop down message in the Network window, "Your network settings have been changed by another application". Almost simultaneously I get a drop down window from the Network Setup Assistant window that says "Unable to establish a network connection. Your computer could not connect to the internet. Click OK to go back and change your network settings and try again."
I then click on the OK button for each drop down and go to Network window and change Location to Automatic and Show to Airport and select By Default, join: Automatic
Checking the TCP/IP tab I see that it's set to configure IPv4: Using DHCP, no other information shows such as IP Address or Subnet Mask. Clicking the Apply Now button loads an IP Address and Subnet Mask as well as an IPv6 Address.
Nothing works. Where am I taking a wrong turn?