Almost ready to re-install stable 3.0.6, but maybe I can avoid that. This is Opal, and my installed e17 is okay on the laptop. Just okay, because it cannot get online. I looked at NetworkManager and it has the proper entries and even the list of available wireless networks.
How do I re-enable WiFi; I look at Internet selector and its greyed out. See the snapshot I pasted on imgur. (I will post the link later)
This is e17, by the way.
As this apparently is an older machine/laptop, could it be there's a hardware switch tucked away somewhere?
Older laptops did have that "feature" quite often and had me looking for software options which didn't react at all. 
Thanks for the response, and yes, I am aware of this switch. It has been set once, and the wifi works on the newer elive betas--the ones that came with e16 work well. When I went back to the installed stable, I don't get the list of available networks (unlike the liveCD, see imgur (Working WiFi with 2 bars, normal on liveCD - Album on Imgur)
It has been a long time since I used the older versions but wouldn't they come from a pre-networkmanager era?
Naturally, I'd use the commandline before going for a GUI .... in those days I'd have used "ifconfig" and/or "iwconfig", "dhclient" and editing "/etc/resolv.conf" for the nameserver.
Find out which interface:
sudo ifconfig
Activate the found interface (let's say wlan0)
sudo ifconfig wlan0 up
Get an IP number:
sudo dhclient wlan0
And set a DNS server(google):
echo "nameserver 8.8.8.8" | sudo tee etc/resolv.conf
I think there is something missing here.
There is the kernelspace and a userspace. In the kernelspace, we'll find the driver for your specific WLAN chipset. In the userspace, we'll find the 'handler' for the WLAN connection.
In fact, an easy way to debug is 'test another kernel', because in different kernels are different WLAN drivers.
If kernel n is working and kernel n+1 doesn't, we can take a look what is the difference.
And kernels got modules. Drivers, that can be loaded/unloaded during the runtime. Maybe your WLAN chipset needs some modprobe (the command to load modules) options?
In the userspace (e16, e17, e22, ...) there are some network managers. The most used is 'network-manager' (or nm) with a lot of frontends. some years ago I've used wicd, because of the better (readable, at least for me) debug information.
I see a problem here: every network manager is using the API to control the driver. And if the driver isn't set up properly, every result is questionable...
lspci)dmesg |grep -i wireless)iwlist?I think NM applet has the hover feature where it has the check boxes "Enable networking" and "Enable wireless" How do I get to this window?
WICD comes next; I've used it before, but without the checkbox above, the WICD settings are ignored, and I can't get the regular list of wifi networks
I think you need the right-click for that.
Yes, but when I do that, these items are greyed out, when in fact I want to re-enable wireless, not just networking. Any other approach to reset them so they won't be grayed out. No need to bust your brains; it's an old release. I am surprised that the newer elive with e16 doesn't need extra handling, but that is a reflection of the elive team's hard work
did you try any of the commands to see what they give on info?
Especially "iwconfig" and --if it already existed (not sure) in the day: "rfkill" .... both require a sudo prefix.
Thank you for your help; I had prepared some snapshots, but never got a chance to upload them. The reinstall was fruitful, and quick. Wifi connects like before. I'll be a little more careful this time. It's back to the way it was, see an old screenshot at shedied DOT deviantart DOT com.
Ummm, could you be more expletive as to what made everything work and what in your opinion created the issue in the first place.
It might be helpful to others but frankly, I have lost the reason why this thread exists in the first place. 
The right click on nm-applet lets you enable/disable wifi.
WARNING: Disable is permanent.
I don't know how to reset it; I think it is fairly easy to duplicate the issue. You have an almost perfect desktop, without the internet
Hmmm, AFAIK the "disable" option calls "rfkill" and soft-blocks wifi. That shouldn't be happening i.e you should be able to unblock. 
Is this something you can replicate or only a one time fluke?
Here is the screenshot I promised. Risky business, but you folks may not have to deal with it anymore, with the new releases. But to summarize, it can be repeated--with no way of going back to correct it. Return to the applet, and they will remain grayed out and inaccessible
Can you reverse it with rfkill, as a last resort? no idea how (never used it before) but it cant be too hard.
"rfkill list" to find available devices
"rfkill unblock wlan" to unblock wifi.
