I have two PC's. One with Ubunt 7.10 (which is connected to the Internet via Cable Broadband) and another PC where I have XP. I have added an Ethernet Network Card in the Ubuntu PC via which I am trying to connect the Win PC. So my Ubuntu PC shows eth0 and eth1. eth0 is the one where I am connecting to the Internet and eth1 is the card through which I am connecting to the other PC.

I have connected both the PC's via Cable. And I have also assigned local IP to both of them.

So when I ping from Win PC to Ubuntu PC, it's a success and when I ping from Ubuntu PC to Win PC, I can also ping (works only if I am pinging from Win PC).

My questions are :
a) How do I set up my Win PC so that I can access the Internet, which is now available only from the Ubuntu PC.
b) How can I share files among the two PC's?
c) Is this arrangement safe?

I have firestarter installed in Ubuntu PC where I have allowed sharing the Internet option.

Any help will be great for me.

A) In the Windows network config, you will need to set the default gateway to the IP for the eth1 network card on the Linux box, and set the DNS servers to the same that appear in the Linux eth0 config. You could also try putting the Linux eth1 IP in as the Windows DNS servers, I don't know if it runs a nameserver automatically.

B) You will need to install and configure SAMBA to share files between the two computers. There are tons of how-tos all over the internet.

C) It's safe. It's definitely a lot safer than having the Windows box be the one connected directly to the internet. I admin several office networks, and have a small Linux router box as the broadband connection for each of them. Nobody has even made it INTO the Linux box, let alone through it to the Windows computers.

Many many Thanks ranger_nemo. A) worked perfectly. This really helped me a lot. I kept on trying and trying but because I have no idea of Networking, I was unable to make good progress.

b) I will read about SAMBA and try to implement the guidance.

c) I am very happy to know that this is safe. Actually I wanted to be sure about it.

Thanks again for your help.