The software (and manuals) are in the files area of this site. Reboot the computer after installing but before opening the program. The cable, if not supplied, is addressed in the FAQ (link on this page) and is an excellent place to start reading once you've read the software's manual. If your laptop doesn't have a serial port, you'll need a USB to serial adapter. A forum search will give you an idea on which models work (not all of them do). Thousands of IR codes are also available in the files area, the remote will also learn your codes. You can also look at other ccfs people have created in this area. Not much else I can tell you at this point, the software has a learning curve, and further discussion requires a basic familiarity with the software/remote.