Once you get your ADSL up and running, you should (strongly encouraged is the term here) protect both computers against the big, bad world. This includes using WinXP's firewall feature, installing antivirus software on both machines, and even buying a gateway router.
XP's firewall has a short track record, but it is probably more than adequate for sharing a dial-up connection. However, with two computers surfing on the same connection, there's the possibility that performance and throughput on the PC can conflict and both will suffer.
Antivirus software is a must. There are lots of good products for PCs out there; I prefer Symantec's Norton AntiVirus, which is also available for MacOS. The pool of Mac viruses is growing, and the first, worldwide Mac virus meltdown is only one hacker away. Be prepared.
A gateway router (you can find them on sale for as little as $30 for the SpeedStream 2 port router) adds a layer of hardware between your ADSL connection and your computers. It has the advantage of allowing you to use the computers connected to it independently, without using software connection-handling tools that can slow a system down and use up resources. Just about all of them now handle PPPoE as well, which you will probably need on an ADSL connection. With a gateway router, you won't need MacPOET, Enternet, or any other such software. (These programs work OK, but not always well, and they sometimes cause problems you really DON'T want to have to deal with.)
Good luck, and enjoy speed-surfing.
XP's firewall has a short track record, but it is probably more than adequate for sharing a dial-up connection. However, with two computers surfing on the same connection, there's the possibility that performance and throughput on the PC can conflict and both will suffer.
Antivirus software is a must. There are lots of good products for PCs out there; I prefer Symantec's Norton AntiVirus, which is also available for MacOS. The pool of Mac viruses is growing, and the first, worldwide Mac virus meltdown is only one hacker away. Be prepared.
A gateway router (you can find them on sale for as little as $30 for the SpeedStream 2 port router) adds a layer of hardware between your ADSL connection and your computers. It has the advantage of allowing you to use the computers connected to it independently, without using software connection-handling tools that can slow a system down and use up resources. Just about all of them now handle PPPoE as well, which you will probably need on an ADSL connection. With a gateway router, you won't need MacPOET, Enternet, or any other such software. (These programs work OK, but not always well, and they sometimes cause problems you really DON'T want to have to deal with.)
Good luck, and enjoy speed-surfing.