I'm assuming you used the live cd to install.
Open a terminal as root and type
wicd
to start the daemon manually.
If the client does not show up on the panel try (as a normal user in the terminal)
wicd-client
Client should appear in the panel.
Click on it find you essid I set it up.
I've run into this myself and odly enough after doing what is shown above it seems to work ok after that.
I've got something of a tutorial on wicd if you have not used it before.
http://www.opensourcebistro.com/Tutorial/vl70/beginning/wifi-wicd/wifi-wicd.html