Vodafone 3g express card

Hello, I've just purchases a vodafone 3g data card from ebay. It came without a simcard so I purchases a vodafone 3g PAYG simcard separately which has £21 credit. I've registered the phone number that comes with the card on the vodafone website. When I went to install the cd that came with the data card, it installed fine but after restarting and accessing the dashboard I went to search for the data card and the program hung. No option to press Next was highlighted so search wasn't even commenced. The lights are flashing in the card sometimes red, sometimes blue and red and sometimes all blue-so I take it that the card is actually working. Also I've checked the sim is in properly and all fine. When the vodafone was finished installing, also my wifi connection disappeared! I had to get online by my old modem and access the dell website(my laptop is a D531) to reinstall drivers(my WLAN card is a 1390). Once my wireless was back up and running I did some blogging and read that installing a newer version of the dashboard might fix the problem. I uninstalled the previously installed version 5.0, i'm operating XP and reinstalled version 9.1. Now when I get to the dashboard stage it IS giving me the option of pressing next to search for devices but after a long wait no device is found, i'm given an option to cancel mobile connect. I've tried several times uninstalling and reinstalling both of these dashboards and reinstalling wifi drivers every time to still no avail. I'm at my wits end as I'm heading on holiday first thing Monday morning and really need internet access. Pleeeease Heeellllllppppp!!!