How to hack a wireless network

Okay, maybe I should not ask this but I am going to anyway.

I install wireless networks and want to check to make sure that the security is good enough to slow do a hacker. I am not a hacker by any means, but I want to know how to do this to check security of the wireless networks I install. I know there are ways to do it and have downloaded alot of software that says it can be done, but I am not sure what steps to take. Can someone give me the step by step instructions so I can try it, at least on my home network.

Manys thanks.
Russ