How do I connect two laptops both running XP with an ethernet cable?

Chris,

Are you looking to use the laptops to talk to each other only? If yes, than cross connect the Cat 5 cable from one lap top to the other and use the network wizard to define the peer to peer network.

You can't use a regular Ethernet cable to directly connect two PCs. You need to use a crossover cable.

It sound like you want to just connect one computer to another

For this purpose they make a CROSSOVER cable -- Cat5 RJ45

If you want to set up a Home network -- share internet

And share a printer and files and folders -- different answer

DSL or CABLE ---> MODEM ---> ROUTER ---> NIC Card in Computer

Both computers plug into the router and connect with Cat 5 RJ45

The only difference is the cable is a STRAIGHT CABLE

"Cross connect the Cat 5 cable " I'm sorry if I wasn't clear enough. But I thought that English was the language I used :)

Sorry, I was more than a little rushed and I could have been a lot clearer.