mrloupcity: you say you get your cable (internet i guess) via your company .. does this mean you first make a connection to your company and from there connect to the internet ?
in that case it might be that the security on your company network doesnt allow your wife computer to get online

can you try to use the network card from the xp (your) computer in the the computer of your wife (be sure to install the same drivers as you have installed on your xp machine) and try it then

are you sure the drivers which you use with the cards on your wifes computer are correct ?

i have very little (none :)) experience with windows me .. but i heard its very buggy .. i dont know in what functions though