wireless notebook and adapter was fine not not...

I have a notebook with the wireless MN-520. I've been
using it for over a year. One minute the computer was
on..then my daughter turned it off. When hubby tried to
turn it back on he noticed there was not internet
connection. The wireless adapter doesn't have its lights
on anymore. The lights usually stay on even when the
computer is off since we have dsl service. Now the
lights to the adapter won't stay lit. Does this mean the
adapter has gone bad, or that something has happened to
it?

thanks