Clearly you are using a computer at the moment so you will be able to
download Ubuntu from their web site on it and create bootable CD which
you then put in this Dell with the ancient Fedora on it. Next step is
to restart the Dell and select the CD drive to boot from if it doesn't
do this automatically - usually pressing the [F12] during boot on a
Dell brings up a screen to select the boot device.

Let the Ubuntu CD boot up and you'll be given a choice of installing
or trying out Ubuntu without changing anything. To erase Fedora
totally ( it's clearly not working anyway ) choose 'install' and when
asked also select the 'take over the whole drive' option.

This will remove Fedora totally and install a nice clean and up to
date Ubuntu instead, so you can forget about the Fedora password or
anything to do with how this Dell has been set up previously.

Only thing you'll need to do when Ubuntu is loaded is to plug into a
router using an ethernet cable then get all the updates for Ubuntu,
which should bring the wireless card to life.

To get Ubuntu go to www.ubuntu.com but on older hardware such as this
perhaps it would be better getting a lighter version such as Linux
Mint or PCLinuxOS or even Puppy Linux...

http://linuxmint.com/

http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=10 ( note: several desktop versions
here )

http://puppylinux.org/main/Long-Term-Supported%20WaryPuppy.htm

All you have to lose is a CD or two and a bit of time - one of the
above should prove to work for you :-)

BM> I'm not sure what you are saying about the CD burning.