Wireless Internet with Windows XP

I have a new windows XP laptop. I can’t get a wireless internet connection to work. I have broadband internet and a cable modem and then a switch. A pc and a wireless access point are both connected to the switch. The Windows 2000 PC works fine, but I just can’t get the laptop to connect to the wireless access point and the internet.

Can anyone give me the step by step of what I need to do or some things I can look for?