2 Computer Network - machines aren't talking properly

[Cogwork]

I got my 2 USB nics and a cross over cable today and have spent the afternoon trying to set the network up but I get it to work.

Both machines are Win98se, and have the 4 network components set up - Client to Microsoft Networks, Belkin USB Ethernet Adaptor, TCP/IP > Belkin, and File and printer sharing for Microsoft Networks.
Computer A is set up with the IP adress 192.168.0.1, and Computer B is set up with 192.168.0.2. Both have subnet mask of 255.255.255.0.. Under network identification they both have the workgroup "home" set. Both computers use "Windows logon" where it says "primary network logon". Neither machine bring up a username and password option when booting up.


The problem is that only one computer seems to recognise the other computer at a time:

Under network neighbourhood com a will see "entire network" "com A" and "com B". It can access both the entire network and com a, but cannot access com b.
Com B at this time, when I open Network Neighbourhood on it it brings up the flashlight searching animated icon thing.

At other times almost the opposite is true - Comuter B will see both computers and "entire network", but cannot access com A. While Com A, when I open network neighbourhood brings up nothing, not even "entire network".

Can anyone tell me what's going wrong please?

 

[Cogwork]

I think I've solved it. Zonealarm on both PCs were blocking communication. I've set zonealarm to low and off modes and it works fine. Now I need to know how to keep security high on Zonealarm for internet access, but still be able to use the network

 

[mikesgroovin]

Doesn't Zonealarm contain settings for trusted IP access?

 

[Cogwork]

Yeah, I figured it out, thanks anyway. Personally I think Zonealarm was better before it had the overhaul and tutorials put in.