If it doesn't have WiFi, then you might need to purchase a WiFi dongle. The iPad cannot be connected via a cable (Ethernet) connection to the Internet.
Thanks, Tim. I am well repaid for the other thread.
I've been doing the same thing on the iMac, and I knew there had to be a way to do it in Windows. I just couldn't find the right combination of settings on the netbook. Windows and I are not the best of friends.
I felt kind of seedy telling people I could only help them with this problem if they had a Mac.
No. You can not get internet to the iPad by any method other than wi-fi. It isn't supported in the software (iOS), regardless of what hardware is present.
If you XP machine is hardwired into the internet (a cable) and has a wi-fi radio as well, then you might be able to use your computer like a wi-fi router; but you can't both get and server internet through wi-fi with the same computer. The hardware doesn't support it, let alone the software.