Network two PC's at home. One XP and One Vista

Hi Have have 2 PC's i want to network. I have never set a network up so treat me as a complete novice.

What do i need to do??

Neither of them will have/need internet access.

Thanks in advance for any help

Hello,

First thing you need is a router. Do you have one?

No not yet.

Do i need one even though im not going online?

Yes. But if you do not want to get a router you need two NIC cards, a cross over cable and an internet connection.

ok so if i get a router do i need any specific kind?

will i need ethernet cables? anything else?

Hello,
Almost any router will do and you will need 2 Ethernet cables. You can take a look here on how to set up a network:

More: http://pcworld.com/article/102461/how_to_set_up_your_home_network.html