wireless network connection problem

I have started travelling a lot for work and have have discovered a problem with my laptop. It works beautifully within my home wireless network but I can not connect to a wireless outside my network...hotels, Starbucks, another home, etc.. have all been tried. Nothin even shows up on the available list to try a repair. The LAN network card is the most up to date version from Dell. no help when troubleshooting. My laptop is Dell Latitude 5500.