Thanks for looking. My objective is relatively simple: I want to hook up two pc's at home so junior and I can play each other in Unreal Tournament (the old original one). The operatings system will 98se and ME.
 
- I have trained myself to set up systems to get on network at office (Client for MS Network) and go online. Don't know if any of that limited knowledge will help here?  
 
NOTE: I did'nt set up the network, just figured out on my own through trial & error how to hook up pc's I build for office.  
 
- I'm aiming for UT, cuz you don't need a cd in the machine to run. So I'm guessing that's all we can play together, since I don't feel like buying every game twice.
 
- I have tried to figure out for myself, but their seems to be many options. But can't tell what UT will work on. Or which is the cheapest setup. I don't have crossover cables. routers (except at the office, which I won't be moving to home), or the modem referred to in some articles that uses your home telephone lines for network ( I have extra PCI NIC 10/100 cards and regular telephone modems).  
 
Specifically, NIC's are Realtek  RTL 8139/810X family PCI Fast Ethernet NIC (although if I'm not careful when installing drivers, they come up something different - although a question for another time perhaps)  
 
- Have never tried to navigate through setup in UT or any other game. Assuming I need help here even after home network is setup.
 
- Would prefer not to have re-setup office network after setting up home network, although I can do that if neccesary. I frequently drag the home gaming system here to work cuz the BB/DSL is so much faster to d/l game demo's.
 
Thanks in advance for your help, advice and useful links.  
 
 
Barton 2500+
Abit NF7-S v 2.0
Maxtor 60GB ATA 133 7200RPM
512MB Corsair Twinx 3200LL
9600 Pro
Enermax Noisetaker 420 watts
Win98SE

Will you will need atleast a crossover cable to hook them up directly.  A couple dollars at you local PC shop. Then set one to an IP of 192.168.1.1 and subnet of 255.255.255.0, and the other to 192.168.1.2 255.255.255.0.    
As for the games, something I've heard, but never done... yeah... never done... is search <A HREF="http://www.google.com/" target="_new">google</A> for "name of game" and "no cd" or "cd crack", which allows you to play games with out the cd so once they are installled you don't have to search for a cd everytime you want to play.
 
<A HREF="http://www.anandtech.com/mysystemrig.html?id=23900" target="_new">System</A>
<A HREF="http://service.futuremark.com/compare?2k3=2072215" target="_new">3DMark03</A>

Thanks rook,
 
BTW, I'm gonna look into cd code thingy. I don't have pirate software. I'm a 40 year + accountant so I'm not into that LOL, But my 8 yr son plays the games and I'm tired of re-buying cd cuz they got scratched.
 
It's also a pain to find one of the 100's of cd's when he decides he want to play this-or-that and can't find it.
 
Barton 2500+
Abit NF7-S v 2.0
Maxtor 60GB ATA 133 7200RPM
512MB Corsair Twinx 3200LL
9600 Pro
Enermax Noisetaker 420 watts
Win98SE