direct parallell connection

I'm trying to connect my deskto and my laptop, both
running the same version of xp home with a parallel
cable. I've set up one machine as a host and the other
with a connection to this machine - usernames and
passwords etc all correct, but when I try and conmnect, I
get "verifying username and password" and this just habgs
for a couple of minutes until I get "connection
terminated by remote computer" I know it's not even
starting to make a connection because I get exactly the
same message if I don't even plug the cable in. I know my
cables ok cause I used to use it with laplink when I had
win 98.

Any ideas?

Thanks,

J