ok, it took me awhile (& 2 re installs of the system) but, apparently, wireless & Fedora just don't mix. I tried NDISWrapper & Mad WiFi. I learned a lot about my system & got pretty comfy with the terminal but to no avail.
SO, Linuxland has moved back to the basement where it's easier to run an ethernet cable through the heat ducts (the cable running outside from window to window was tacky even in my book).
If anybody tells you Linux is ready for the consumer desktop, they are lying.
Now to commence torturing myself with PHP/MySQL again.....
I should really just find a dominatrix.