Remote app

I recently updated my 3g iPhone to 3.0. I was updating some apps in the AppStore and came across an update for remote. It said that the new update let's you control apple tv from your iPhone. I didn't install the update right away. I had remembered the remote app working really well with iTunes on my laptop, but when I went to use it recently it said something like I need a wifi connection, but I don't have wifi on my laptop and when I used to use it I didn't have wifi. I tried installing an older version but the app would not open just kept going to the springboard. I did get the latest remote to partially work by creating an ad hoc network on my laptop, I saw remote in iTunes, I was able to play some songs, but then my iPhone's remote app would stop working and say I needed a wifi connection. Just wondering what I am doing wrong it used to work great I could be in another room and be able to control iTunes from my iPhone, I don't remember if I had used an adhoc network when it worked. Any help would be appreciated.