All you should need to do is name a wireless connection in the
connection manager - little icon up top. Right click the connection
manager and click wireless and new connection. For the name of the new
connection type in - wlan0 - and then at SSID type in the name of the
network or home network. You will need to also set the security as none,
WEP, WPA - and will need the passphrase (security key) if it is protected.

If you are just looking around for free wi-fi then at least type in new
connection and the name "wlan0" without the parenthesis. This will get
it sniffing for available networks and they will appear in the drop down
menu. Your driver should be just fine as Ubuntu Linux supports all
modern netbooks,laptops cards. I even have one of the very first 'every
child laptop' netbooks as an EEE PC netbook which is one some, as
Debian, say you may need to install a proprietery (purchase) driver.
This was not the case at all. The little EEE PC (900 series way back)
fired right up at Home Network and also at free wi-fi destinations -
Municipal Wi-Fi etc. There should be no need to install any additional
driver.