Win XP/Win 2K interconnection problem

[vvwees]

Hi all,
I am trying to connect a laptop running Win 2K (gotten from my employer) with a private Win XP machine. I want to connect these mainly to be able to print at home from the laptop without having to reconnect my printer again and again from laptop to desktop and vice versa. Also, I want to occasionally use the CD writer in the laptop to copy CDs from my home machine.
I would like to do this by connecting them via a cross over cable connecting both network cards. As I do not intend to do this daily extra hardware is something I would like to avoid.
I tried to follow the threads below so installed e.g. NetBEUI to get this done, however the problem I run into is that my laptop has TCP/IP installed on it and belongs to a domain, all preset by the IT dept of my company. Now I have messed up their settings already twice (meaning I could not logon from home or in the office...), so I now am looking for some directions to get this connection done without altering any of the laptop's settings.
As I have no other network connections as yet, I am totally free on the settings on my Win XP.
So, any of you got some good ideas?
If I need to provide any other info, please let me know.
As you might read from all of this, I am not known to networking... so try to give me more than vague hunchess... thanks!

[master7]

Try running the Network setup wizard. It's pretty nice.

[vvwees]

I am sorry, but I don't think the Network Setup Wizard will work, i.e. it will only work on my XP machine but not on my laptop as the wizard does not work for Win2k (see e.g. http://www.practicallynetworked.com/sharing/xp_ics/networksetupwiz.htm).

My main problem (with my limited knowledge - I may be wrong) is that my XP machine is not registered on a domain (as I do not have a domain server at home), but my company laptop is. Now I read everywhere I should make the computers I try to connect have the same workgroup, however taking my laptop of the company domain (to get it to have the same workgroup as my XP machine) means it will not work anymore in my office or remote via dial-up.
Can I connect these two machines given this domain name problem via a cross-over cable between the NICs and if so: please tell me how...

[HarveyWG]

I'm not sure it is possible, but you may try something like using a separate hardware profile on the laptop from work that you use only for connecting to your home workgroup, and that way whenever you startup you can access either your work domain, or your home workgroup. I think that would allow you to setup a home workgroup that the laptop would connect through, without changing your settings for your intranet at work. Of course, you'll probably need administrative access to win2k on the laptop to create such a profile.

[vvwees]

I solved my problem... but am rather embarassed to tell you...
As I had administrator access to my laptop, I made it into a dual boot system with Win XP as second operating system, to be able to try a XP to XP connection without being bothered by any domain or TCP/IP settings... and this still did not work... At that time I started to doubt my crossover cable. This one I bought from a shop so I never doubted the quality. I had it checked and it turned out to be the source of my frustrations!
Ok, I now got a laptop to home computer connection working from XP to XP using NetBEUI and also a Win2000 to XP using netBIOS IPX/SPX added to the TCP/IP settings already there and all is working fine...
Next challenge will be stripping XP again from the laptop...
Thanks for trying to help me!