Computers crossover direct connection

For the last few days I've been trying to get a direct coinnection going between by old piece of **** Windows 98SE and Windows ME computer to get a direct connection going, so they can share one printer. Problem is they won't connect, and every time I try connecting in DOS mode, it always request timed out, what could be the problem and how could I change fix it and get a connection going?

 

Just do it the way every other human being does it and set up a lan 2 lan cards and a piece of crossover cable doesn't cost much.

- Ark

 

I did buy the crossover cable, but that didn't work. Then I thought it was my ethernet card, I go out and buy one, that doesn't work either, I type in ping 10.10.0.2 (the other comp's ip) I get request timed out, I type in 0.0.0.1 for the gate way of each comp, that doesn't work, I go out and buy a 10' feet crossover cable, cause the technician at my local computer store tells me 7' cables are unreliable, that doesn't work. am I missing something (I also typed in the subnet 255.255.255.0 and same workgroup)