If Dell told you that...I'm curious what the heck they are talking about!
We just installed a wireless network (router) and it was NOT 'plug and play' even though a few people we talked with seemed to give the impression it would be! See
Nacht's rant on another board for details on what didn't go as expected!
Still, if your card is already installed, maybe Dell can recommend a brand of router. We got the LynkSys because it was well recommended and fit our needs. You may not need quite as much in a router if you are only connecting one more pc (or laptop) to your broadband. (You have cable or adsl, right?)
There are differences in speed/compatibility with older models. In the end it comes down to what your needs are (speed, numbers of machines in the network, how far away the wireless machine can be from the hub/router) and how much you want to spend. I think our router was in the $120 range. We had to buy cards too, so it was pricey. But if you have your card already, that's a plus! One thing we were told by computer whiz pals is that it's usually less hassle to buy router and cards from same manufacturer, ie: same brand. Not sure why, other than the obvious notion that they'd be configured to work well together.
Good luck with your networking!