Frantic,
Your question should be this...there are three major types of ISP's (Internet Service Providers) who give you access to the internet:
- Dialup - such as Netscape, Earthlink, PeoplePC, etc.
- Cable - such as comcast, charter, time warner
- DSL - such as Verizon, SBC Yahoo, Bellsouth
Wireless means that you broadcast your ISP's connection so that wireless devices can detect that broadcast and connect to it so that the device can have internet access. Wireless requires a bit more bandwidth (more ability to broadcast packets of data) than dialup is able to provide so if you want to go wireless, you'll have to first get a DSL or Cable ISP.
Next, investigate what you have currently...if you already have a wired router, you can get a wireless access point. A wireless access point will plug into your wired network and transmit a connection point wirelessly. That way, your laptop will be able to connect to it no problem and it won't have to hard jack into the network using an ethernet cable.
If you don't have a hardline router, you can buy a wireless router. This will be nice because it usually has 4-8 ethernet ports so you don't have to run out and purchase wireless cards for your desktop computers...you can still connect them via ethernet. Then, the wireless router will also broadcast a wireless signal so that devices that operate wirelessly will be able to see and connect to it.
A really great how-to exists from the University of Texas and it will help get you on your feet:
http://www.utexas.edu/its/wireless/install/index.html