getting an NT 4 box to connect to linux gateway

My company laptop is running NT 4 on domain 'company'. I have to log
into that domain to get to the VPN (Shiva) and then Outlook for the
email.

1) I have a Linux partition on the laptop. My home box name is
"pm.mountainautomation.com" and the laptop is
"dell.mountainautomation.com". Connects A-OK via the "pm" gateway!

2) Logging onto the NT side with the company logon/domain, I get no net
connection. I do not have Samba set up or running. BTW, Mandrake 8.0!
(Too bad, more games, and other programs on the earlier 7.2 release! May
have to go back.) Furthermore, the laptop is running Mandrake 7.2 in
case anyone cares.

Q1 - Has anyone been able to do this? Can it be done? I'm assuming so
with Linux!!

Q2 - Tried to load up StarOffice on the main box. It ran with numerous
errors not finding this or that. The README only says to ensure a proper
graphical setup which I assume I have. I tried to run it again but it
says there's nothing to do. At the question re: the installation dir, I
put in /usr/sbin, I've a feeling this may not have been correct. Is
there some doc that explains the proper location of SW?

Q3 - Anyone played with the I2C protocol and Linux?

Thank you all! I'm trying desperately to get off of the other stuff.

pete