What OS. If winXP just setup a home office network. You will need to make both computers a member of the same workgroup when you set it up. Just type in HOME for both on the workgroup, or whatever you want really. But the OS would really help us help you. Most OS's have stuff for this built in, or at least you can download it. You can get samba if on linux. Or just use an ftpserver.

Just go to my network places in winXP and there should be a link on the left to setup a network. If not, just right click my network places and go to properties. Do the same for your LAN connection. Then go to the advanced tab and at the bottom there will be a link called "Network Setup Wizard" and just run through that remembering to use the same workgroup. Good luck.

Oh and when you do get sharing turned on, just right click the folder you want to share and go to Sharing and Security... then share it. You'll probably not want to make it writeable, but you might. Just make sure you're behind a firewall if you do make it writeable.