Wireless connection away from home

I have a 2 year old Acer laptop ( with Vista) that I use at home with a Cisco router. If I were to take the laptop on a trip, do I need anything else? I've been searching for an answer on the internet. I found one answer that one needs a wireless network card or an Ethernet adapter. I then read that all newer laptops have built-in wireless cards, as well as several comments about how to turn on/off access, and recommendations for additional security. Does one have an Ethernet adapter by virtue of being wireless at home? I didn't find one simple answer.