If your router is already connected to the network ..things are easy ..you can either connect the laptop in one of the ports using a LAN cable ...and set the tcp/ip protocol in the LAN card of the laptop to automatically assign an IP address and it will take one in the range of the router settings...or ...connect it wireless by clicking on the icon of the wireless in the task bar ...and open it ...and in there click on the scan for network ..and choose from the list the one with your router 's name and connect ..
(assuming again the router has been configured..)
If you didn't set the router ...you have to follow the steps in the next link ...and configure it ..
In short ...connect the cable that came from your modem or after case the internet for a direct connection ..into the Wlan port ..and a computer into one of the lan ports ..
after that choose in the lan card to get an IP address automatically ..in the TCP/IP protocol ..
and to connect to the router's settings type the router's IP address in the internet explorer ( or what ever browser you have ) like this ... http://192.168.1.1 or the address written on the back of the router ..
IN this moment the log in page of the router will appear and you have to write the admin and password for it ..Usually the factory set ones are ....
admin for the user and
admin the password
Cause it is too much to write it ...the actually settings I link them cause they are available on the net ..
you can also find them on the support page of the router ..but basically it has a dhcp setting which will behave like a lan card ..and for the wireless feature all you have to do is enable it ...set a channel ...and a name and password for your network ..
http://www6.nohold.net/Cisco2/ukp.aspx?pid=80&app=vw&vw=1&login=1&docid=e30f926604334d538668529cb50ad174_21463.xmlhttp://www6.nohold.net/Cisco2/ukp.aspx?pid=80&vw=1&articleid=21474and here you have the manually configuration in case you can not run the disk ..
http://www.home-network-help.com/wireless-router.html