I have 2 laptops with network cards built in. I know I need a network cable to connect them together but how to do the rest?. I am a novice in networking. Is there a guide somewhare to do that?

the network cable you need is called a cross over. thats if you connecting one end of the cable to the laptopA and then the other end to laptopB. The instructions here on are based on this set up. since i suspect you are. (do this on both laptops) ok here is a quick peer to peer network. on the desk top you will see my network places. right click and go to properties you will see all the connects to you pc make sure there active and not dissabled on both laptops go to my computer then properties then rename you want the names on each laptop o be diffrent and the work group the same set this then hi apply or ok. the one we are interested in is the local network connection. the icon will look like a computer attachet to a funny looking upside down t. right click and go to properties on both you want to have in properties client for microsoft,QOS,printer sharing and tcp/ip( i have quickly noted them if they look the same they are) might be diffrent for vista highlight the tcp/ip on then go to properties under general settings click use the following ip address. on laptopA put 192.168.0.1 on laptopB put 192.168.0.2 the hit tab and default mask should set itself as 255.255.255.0 leave default gateway balnk(we dont have one) then click ok and ok and thats your network. now to do anything we need to share something so find a folder(directory for the anal) on any laptop we want to be able to access and right click and go to properties then sharing highligh the share on network and hit ok or apply. it will say its a security risk blah blah and do you want to cascade the options down(ill let you work that out) now you done that heres a key part make sure your user acconts are the same on both laptops so if i have a user account on one laptop calle alex make user there is a user account on the other called alex with the same spelling and password. then run to your other laptop. the one thats not got the share on it and go to my network places and left click then find the veiw work group computers and you will find the other laptop and they you have it. if not and windows is being an ass go to serch then serach for computers on the network and type in the ip adress of the laptop with the share. hit find and there you have it. and thats it your first simple network with this you can user remote desktop using windows and file sharing and play games and share printers(needs to be set up) and you can share internet(cant rember how to do it sorry) you can also share dvd drive set them up the same way you shared the folder(again directory!) so fun for all. hope thats what you where looking for all text needs typos. There there for the reader to find,to distract them from the total lack of content. google it! wasnt the answer to the question i asked so dont be dense and give me that repl

Also see ... How to setup ad hoc wireless network with crossover CAT5e. This tutorial include illustrations. i_Xp/VistaUser

If you have Internet connection, then it's better you set up simple Ethernet home network to share the Internet and do file sharing. Here is simple home network setup tutorial. Take a look and see whether it meets your need.

XpUser sorry to say you dropped the ball with that last post. you post points to a adhock wireless network. and the sentence "How to setup ad hoc wireless network with crossover CAT5e." its just wrong. all text needs typos. There there for the reader to find,to distract them from the total lack of content. google it! wasnt the answer to the question i asked so dont be dense and give me that repl

It looks like there is more than one type of networking. I will try that and see how it goes. Yes I want to connect one lap top to the other. Actually, the old hp laptop has a wired network adapter (and PCMCIA slot). The new Toshiba has both wire and wireless adapters and connections. I will see if I benefit from setting the wireless connection. In that case I will need the wireless adapter to the hp instead of the cross over wire right?.

yes the link that XpUser will help you set that up if you go down the wireless route. wireless has its dissadvatages and advantages. im a hard core wire user. beacuse i dont belive in wireless. the good point of wire are secure conection. no oe else can tap into your network unless they physicaly get to the wire. and the speeds are faster and the data isnt compress. also reliabilty is high on wired wireless is good because you have the feedom to move about.bad points are the signal can leak into neibouring areas like your nextdoor neibours house so its easy to tap into and not be discoverd. even with encryption on there is ways in(hacker has to be pritty good though.) also signals can intefeer with each other so if all your neibourours has a wirless network then they can clash. there is also some reserch that says the radiation from wireless may be harmfull(not been fully studied though). and reliablity can some time be a bit ify depending on the weather(air temprature and humidity effects your signal) also range can be affected wire can run for 100 meters and cost cable is reletivly cheap. sounds like cable is a winner in my book and youll be asking why hasnt every one aopted wirelss? well many for asthetics portability and you dont need to knock holes in walls or put cables where people can trip. also cat5 can be fragile. if you want to destroy a cat 5 run the cable under a door and let the door smush the cable. the cabels are all twisted to stop cross talk but when you smush them and splay them at a point it can make problems all text needs typos. There there for the reader to find,to distract them from the total lack of content. google it! wasnt the answer to the question i asked so dont be dense and give me that repl