seriously need help with networking

[longlivelinky]

Ok i have a home computer and recently bought a laptop, i then borrowed a network cable (RJ45 2 metres in length) to just do a little testing to set up a network ready for when i buy a much longer cable for the proper network, the network cable DEFINATELY WORKS as i tried it with my friends laptop at college

Unfortunately my home computer and laptop dont notice this cable, it just says a cable is unplugged but it works fine on ALL other computers

this led me to believe its my home computer, i have looked up all the devices but it says theyre all working properly, im no major networking whizz but i know what im doing usually when it comes to computers
I tried turning the LAN firewall off to see if it helped, i then went into command prompt and tried ipconfig/all and tried to locate my laptop with the ping IP address, it sent the info but didnt recieve it.

Basically heres what i want to do

I want to network my two computers to share the internet
my home computer has a Realtek RTL8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC
My laptop has a National semi conductor corp. DP83815/816 10/100 Macphyte PCI Adapter
I have a 512k wanadoo connection with the usual speedtouch 330 modem
I want to make the home computer the host and will have the modem plugged into the home computer and do so whenever i try this and always am online.

(I also when the home computer is off want to get a very long modem cable so i can put it straight into my laptop and borrow the home PC's modem for when i want to be online but dont want the home PC on, but this shouldnt affect anything)

Basically can anyone help me
any drivers i might want?
My home PC's driver is 5.396.530.2001
My laptops is 5.0.137.2

It is bugging me because ive literally tried everything
and just wanted to ask here incase more smarter people can help me

thankyou for all of your help it is highly appreciated

 

[daydreamer]

your probably using a CAT5 straight cable.. when you connect 2 computers directly to each other you need a CAT5 Cross Over cable..

the reason why it worked with your friends computer is because it was either going to his modem or to a router, switch or some sort

in your senario since you want them connected directly to share internet.. you need a cross over cable.. or to make life easier get a router.

 

[longlivelinky]

Thankyou ever so much!
as im using a patch cable...so yeah.
Yeah i was gonna get a router....but after paying out money for this damn heavy specced laptop im totally blown for cash and can only afford simple direct network cables lol,

but thankyou very much il try it out!

 

[longlivelinky]

I bought a crossover lead and have just tried it, same shit happening, "A network cable is unplugged"
this is really annoying me now

 

[longlivelinky]

I've come to the conclusion one of my ethernet cards is buggered...even though they say theyre both working properly