nmtui won't reach edited wifi connection

[769centOSuser]

I'm at my wits end for an apparently simple issue.

I recently downloaded the latest centOS7 iso to a usb and installed it on a desktop. During install my wireless adapter was detected, my network was seen and I entered my wifi password. Upon reboot I did something to enable yum update (maybe editing a network-script file), and eventually I connected to the internet via wifi (I'm not using and ethernet connection).

After forgetting my admin password and reinstalling off the same usb, this time using minimal install, I can't connect to the internet. Again my wireless card was seen, my SSID was chosen, and my wifi password entered. Upon reboot and having yum update fail with curl not being found, I entered nmtui to create a wireless connection. Nmcli d already showed a wireless device as unmanaged, and I could edit a connection and create a wifi entry, but I couldn't activate it. When choosing edit I could see the virtual and/or ethernet device entries and the wifi entry, but when I choose activate, my wifi entry doesn't show.

I thought even a minimal install would have the necessary packages to connect via wifi, even if I had to request it. Any attempts to yum update appear to require the internet, which I can't reach because wifi isn't working! I've done all this as an admin, too. Any suggestions? Thanks for your time.

Jason