I spent most of today trying to install an Ethernet network in the kitchen, what else are Sundays for eh?
I say "trying" but to my credit it does actually work ok, I'm new to networking, a true network virgin. First thing to do was to buy an Ethernet card for the desktop PC, that's the easy bit. Installing the card was also a doddle and connecting the laptop and the desktop together should have been easy too.
My trouble (and I did have a bit) was that I didn't realise I needed a Crossover Lead, rather than the patch lead that came in the box (I'm not using a Router or a Switch, purely connecting the two machines together) took a little bit of Googleing to get to the bottom of it.

So it's working now, I'm typing this on the laptop while Georgia is playing games on Cbeebies on the desktop. The whole point of the exercise was to allow the laptop to share the Broadband connection, I can't install the DSL modem on the laptop as it has Windows 98 on it (if it was mine I'd upgrade). I can now share the connection and, more importantly, I can use the VPN client on the laptop while sat at home...