Trying to create a small [2 computer] LAN in my home. I have a tower computer that uses a ethernet card hooked to my DSL router, and the DSL router is attached to my wireless router. I have a wireless laptop that uses the wireless router. I am able to access the printer on the tower thru the wirless laptop when I am using Win XP, I am trying to be able to do the same thing using my Mandriva 2008 [on my tower computer] and my laptop [using SLED 10.0]. Any help appriciated

you need many things as far as i can see u`ll be learning about:
CUPS (Common Unix Printing Systems)=> once running you have the configuration staff on http://localhost:631/ for cups or you can use some other printing engine to configure your printer
{
NIS (network information system, to host domains on UNIX or LINUX environments) dont know anything about this one
or
SAMBA (for hosting domains on win environments for file and printers sharing) configuration can be hard i have a very basic one that i took from http://www.foogazi.com/2006/11/01/si...ackware-setup/
}
if you want to share internet (which i dont think due to your wireles router) then you would need to know about IPTABLES for packet forwarding
that, i think is the minimum set of thinks you should dig about.
I dont think anyone will come with your homework already done. good luck

If you use the Mandriva Control Center (Configure my Computer), the configuration wizards will do the work for you, including using a shared printer on a windows machine. You can still configure things manually, but you no longer have to with Mandriva.