Waking up the WiFi connection

Yesterday I restarted the router while attempting to make the connection
between my HP-LaserJet-P1505n printer and the Lenovo T420/T430 laptops. Today
my WiFi would not wake up automatically as it normally does. There appears to
be no way to force that connection to activate.
Fortunately, when I first became a Trisquel user, I was advised to replace the
internal Intel WiFi apparatus with a ThinkPenguin WiFi USB dongle, because that
is my _only_ way of getting internet access. I still depend on that tiny little
gadget.
Please tell me that I'm wrong and that there's a secret handshake to get WiFi
access other than with my cellphone.