Ubuntu and xp with a router using road runner

i am attempting to share a road runner connection between two computers using a linksys etherfast cable/dsl router model BEFSR41. the two computers i want to use are xpsp3 and ubuntu. linksys provides a book that only pertains to windows. the xp computer worked fine with the router, i had, and was using the internet. the ubuntu computer appeared to have a connection, but i can't be certain because i am totally new to ubuntu. i do not know how to configure ubuntu, much less do so with two computers simultaneously with a router. i am a total ubuntu newbie, but i like what i see. i thought i would be able to figure it out, but obviously it was too much for me.
could someone who has experience connecting ubuntu guide me through the network setup process. thanks in advance.

We have two computers connected through a router, both with Windows XP and Ubuntu on separate drives. Ubuntu found the connection in both computers without any configuring in the operating system. My guess is that you may have to configure your computers in the router, which can be brought up in your browser.That is, you type the url of your router into your browser. It will ask for your user name and password. If you have forgotten either and don't have them on hand, press Reset in back of the router, and insert the router's cd and go through the motions. I had to assign my computers, one and two, into the router. Once the router knows that you have two computers, Ubuntu should connect with no problems.

what should have been only an hour job turned out to take a few hours. i ended up configuring with the linksys website on several occasions, rebooting numerous times, resetting my network connection over and over, and finally noticed my antivirus was updating and didn't realize what exactly what i did that made things correct. my technique was far from being perfect. the instructions also called for resetting the router and resetting the power on the modem, which i saw no clear way to do.
i wish i could state exactly what procedure i took that worked. thanks for the replies.

Although it's frustrating to work hours on a procedure that usually takes a few minutes, there isn't any one of us here who hasn't gone through that. I still have times where I may take hours to figure something out. That's part of learning how to become your own technician. I'm glad you figured out how to get your router working. The fact that you did it means you did a good job.