WinMe accessing WinXP's internet

I have recently upgraded from dial-up to Virgin Home Broadband, and its minimum requirement is WinXp (SP2). I CAN receive that wirelessly in WinXP (SP3) - is there a chance that I would be able to keep doing my email in WinMe by networking the WinMe system with the WinXP ? Virgin can not tell me if it would work, and if it did, would not 'support it'.

 

Virgin's modem sends out wireless signals - which I have accessed with my laptop - as well as having an ethernet socket. The PC that is connected to the modem by ethernet cable, runs WinXP and the internet access is satisfactory. I have also run that PC with WinMe and the internet connection showed NO signs of starting - which conforms with Virgin's statement that WinXP is the minimum requirement for the O/S. I COULD run that PC with a WLAN stick to get wireless internet access, and that would leave its ethernet socket available for networking with my WinMe (in which I would like continued access to the internet, for email anyway). I want some informed opinion as to whether that is liklely to work. Virgin is NOT interested in answering the question.

 

Is there an advantage in having a second ethernet card, rather than operating the WinXP as a wireless connection ?

 

F.Y.I. The WinXP does not have an unwired card, but I expect that if I insert the USB-WLAN stick which gives my laptop Wireless access, the same would happen to the WinXP desktop - it would be wirelessly connected, and then I could use the ethernet socket to connect the WinMe by. I deduce then that there is no advantage in 2 ethernet cards over one plus a WLAN stick.