Two suggestions for your WLAN problem:
1. Try again with Knoppix, but this time make sure that windows was completely shut down. Don't use windows hibernate/suspend, if you want to run linux!
2. If wireless still doesn't run, download Kanotix-2006-Easter-RC4 from http://kanotix.com. Kanotix is a Knoppix derivative with better support for wireless cards, including Intel 2200BG. But again, you must shut down windows completely before booting off the Kanotix cd.