Vista Networking with Old ME machine

I have an older Gateway, running ME, and at home, I have it in a network with an XP machine. The XP is hardwared and the Gateway is wireless to the router. Everything is fine.I have just bought a Vista Laptop and in my current location, where I brought along the Gateway, I can't get a network going to share printers, files. etc. Is Vista rejecting the connecting to the old ME, or is problem that both machines are talking wirelessly to the router. What I need to know if this should be workable. In the Vista networking, they seem to make a point of connection choices to XP computers, I can't do an Ethernet connect to the Gateway, because it doesn't have plug. I tried an Ethernet to the laptop, with the Gateway wireless, but no bananas.