Networking via XP

[toudg]

Greets,
First of all, i'm a total newbie with linux. I just checked distrowatch and decided to download mandrake 9.0 (1/3 of luck, 1/3 of user feedback, 1/3 of personnal taste). Ok so its burned and ready to install on my testing machine (I have 2 pcs). I just want to learn some new stuffs and maybe *cross his finger* fully switch to linux.

Ok, now I'm running XP on my main machine and I will continue to do so until I feel pretty confident with linux. I plan to split my Internet connection and I need some advices. Right now, I have 2 network cards on my main and my other computer connects via one of this card. After I've installed Mandrake 9.0, what should I do ? Should I buy a Hub ? Is there a software in Mandrake that I should check ? Any useful links for a newbie config would be appreciated. I just wanna one or two advices/tips. It may not be the wisest decision but I want internet via my XP (for now).

Sorry for my poor english, and thanks for your time.

[tEd\newbie]

If you want the internet to go threw winXP first, there should be some share internet connection setting somewhere, shouldnt be so hard to find I have just never used it. Anyhow, how well this would work when sharing to a linux machine i dont know, what i do know is that it would be better to set the linux machine as a router, because windows has a tendensy to CRASH :P

Anyways, if you change your mind and want to make the linux machine as a router, you have a few options like, iptables, dhcp etc etc.

Searching on google.com for any of there words will get you tons of hits, also look threw past posts here at linuxnewbie.org, lots of lots of info on your situation.

Just ask if i was unclear, or if you've got any problems ;)

[bsm2001]

check out

http://www.analogx.com/

they have a proxy that I use on my wife's machine winme. it works great and gives all the steps to set it up.

win ics didn't work for me. it wanted to change our nic for dsl to the local net.

It is very lite and supports all.