PC connection

I have one laptop running Windows XP and a desktop with Windows Me. The laptop's DVD-ROM is not working and it is pretty expensive.Right now I can't afford a new one.
The problem is that I can't install any software in the laptop due to the DVD-ROM failure, and I need to install a few things.
I was wondering if I can connect both, install the software that I need on the desktop and then transfer it to the laptop. Both PCs have a modem and the RJ-11 connector.
I have heard of a cable known as a cross-over cable, but I think one uses this cable to connect via the RJ-45 connector (ethernet card)
which my PCs do not have.
Is it possible to connect both PCs and transfer the software from one to the other?. How can I do it and what type of cable should I use regarding the PCs I have.
I know I have to follow some kind of communication protocol, therefore I will also need some information on how to do it. Maybe there is a good site where I can go to and learn it.
I'd appreciate very much a detailed answer.
Thank very much for your time and knowledge.

Sincerely.
Manny.

I'm going to assume that if you don't have ethernet ports on the computers, then you also don't have USB ports, so that lets out the next easiest method.

While hard to locate at this point, a direct cable connection can be done with a special parallel cable (often called a lapLink cable for the first widely used software to make this possible).

However, if you're going to have to buy anything, then I would recommend buying ethernet adapters for both machines. Plain 10/100 wired ethernet adapters can be had very cheaply these days, and it will be the fastest transfer option, with perhaps other benefits besides. You can even set up the CD-ROM drive on the desktop computer as shared, and install directly from there. As you mentioned, you would then also need the cross-over cable, but again they don't cost much.

Depending on the software you're trying to install, you might still have a problem. Some games, for instance, validate that they are loading from a CD type device in order to reduce piracy. If you end up with this type of problem, however, there are programs that will set chunks of harddrive up to simulate a CD device in order to get around the problem.

Both the laptop and desktop have two USB ports each.What do you suggest ?.
I can buy an ethernet card for the desktop and one for the laptop to install on the PCMCI, the cross-over cable, etc but I'm still missing the communication protocols that I should follow.
Now, with those USB port on both machines can I do anything easier and cheaper.
Thanks again.

If the USB ports are working on both systems, then the easiest method is going to be to buy a special USB cable designed to connect two computers. It typically will come with software that you load on both computers that facilitates the moving of files. As I said, this is the easiest, since the instructions/software/cable are all in one kit. However, it probably won't let you install software directly from the the CD-ROM in the other computer -- you would have to move the files to the laptop before trying to install.

Also, the speed is likely to be USB 1.1 -- not very fast when you're moving upwards of 650 megabytes, but it will get the job done. Networking the two computers via ethernet and TCP/IP would create a much faster pipeline, but it admittedly is a more complex setup. Your choice.