Networking noob trying to network two desktops with no success

Hi, I've been trying to network two pcs with ethernet cards, both running win
xp pro sp 2 - first I tried connecting them with a cat 5 crossover cable,
that didn't work, so I just bought a 5 port network hub and I'm having the
same problem. I've got connectivity between them, the shared internet
connection on the client comp works fine (i'm sharing a dial-up connection),
but when I try to open network places to browse folders on one comp from the
other, I get an "access denied - you do not have permission to access the
network server" message. Here's some more diagnostic info; as mentioned both
comps have xp pro sp2 with the firewalls enabled, the ics host comp has
norton internet security 2003 with nav installed (i just tried turning off
the nis firewall but that didn't help), the client comp has avg antivirus
installed but no third party firewall, it also has spysweeper installed with
all it's "shields" enabled and spybot s&d and lavasoft ad-aware, the host
comp also has spybot s&d and lavasoft ad-aware but not spysweeper. I usually
keep spybot's "teatimer" resident enabled on both systems but I turned it off
while trying to troubleshoot my networking, to no avail. I also turned off
spysweeper on the client system which also seemed to make no difference.
Looking back over this post, this crap is really confusing so I'll make a
nice little list of the security software on both comps:-
ICS host -
xp firewall
Norton Internet Security 2003 w/firewall and Norton Antivirus
Spybot S&D with "TeaTimer" resident enabled
Lavasoft Ad-Aware

ICS client-
xp firewall
AVG anti-virus (free version, no firewall)
Webroot SpySweeper (enabled in background with all shields activated)
Spybot S&D with "TeaTimer" resident enabled
Lavasoft Ad-Aware

Again, this is the normal configuration - right now, at this moment, the
NIS2003 personal firewall is disabled/turned off on the host system,
SpySweeper is turned off on the client, and the Spybot TeaTimer resident is
turned off on both systems.

As a final note the significance of which I am unsure, as I'm typing this
I'm looking at the icon for the local connection in my systray and the box on
the left which I guess represents the local system is lit steadily, but the
other box is dark as if this comp (the client) is trying to talk to the other
comp without success.

I hope I've drawn a decent picture of what I've got going on, any assistance
would be greatly appreciated.
--
What are they infected with? Rage....

"JasonScott" <JasonScott@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:B5709838-FD38-47B7-8830-AAA96C9F9FEC@microsoft.com...
> Hi, I've been trying to network two pcs with ethernet cards, both running
> win
> xp pro sp 2 - first I tried connecting them with a cat 5 crossover cable,
> that didn't work, so I just bought a 5 port network hub and I'm having the
> same problem. I've got connectivity between them, the shared internet
> connection on the client comp works fine (i'm sharing a dial-up
> connection),
> but when I try to open network places to browse folders on one comp from
> the
> other, I get an "access denied - you do not have permission to access the
> network server" message. Here's some more diagnostic info; as mentioned
> both
> comps have xp pro sp2 with the firewalls enabled, the ics host comp has
> norton internet security 2003 with nav installed (i just tried turning off
> the nis firewall but that didn't help), the client comp has avg antivirus
> installed but no third party firewall, it also has spysweeper installed
> with
> all it's "shields" enabled and spybot s&d and lavasoft ad-aware, the host
> comp also has spybot s&d and lavasoft ad-aware but not spysweeper.

Its no good just turning NIS off, you have to uninstall it before it will
make any difference.