You shouldn't need any different software to do something as simple as connecting to a WLAN hotspot. Geeks will moan about Microsoft Windows, but it works just fine for all the WLAN hotspots I've ever needed.
Firstly, are you seeing a 'live' wireless icon in the system tray? If not then check whether your wireless system has actually been 'enabled'. It can be a bit of a faff fighting your way through the wireless connection options; however, you should eventually be able to connect to the Internet through WLAN. At this stage you will need to have a credit card ready in order to pay for your Internet time by following the various prompts. That is, unless it's a no-charge hotspot of course.