Home network issue

This is probably very basic, but networking isn't my forte & windows
help hasn't solved the problem.

At the moment I have a pretty good laptop running vista ultimate & I
use it for everything including running Slimserver v6.5.4 which is an
application which streams music to my Squeeze box, a wireless/hard
wired music player connected to me hifi.

http://www.slimdevices.com/index.html

I have it set up wirelessly & it works well. I have a Belkin router
which I connect both the laptop & Squeezebox too wirelessly.

I have aquired a free Dell laptop running vista basic, it has wireless
& hard wired networking capabilities & I would like to use it as a
music server to ease the strain on my better laptop.
I also want the Dell to run utorrent 24/7.

Both laptops can connect to the internet ok via the router.

1. If I am using both wireless adapters on each laptop to connect to
the router/internet, can I still use the same adapter to browse the
local network simultaneously?

I have followed vista help & I am on a private network, sharing
enabled, I have shares set up & neither laptop can see each other.
user accounts are identical on each laptop.

Do I need 2 adapters per laptop?

BAsically I want the Dell to be online 24/7 & stream music 24/7 then I
want the better laptop to connect online as & when I need it & to
connect to the Dell, without the Dell losing any of it's connectivity
online or to the Squeezebox.

Thanks for reading & for any tips.