Multiplayer AOE III games

I, too, am having problems playing a multiplayer game of AOE III. I have
two laptops, both Gateways, one running Windows XP, the other running
Windows Vista Home Premium 64 bit. I would like to use my wireless
router (Netgear) as the go between for the two laptops. However, I have
had good luck in the past using a crossover ethernet cable between two
laptops (a Windows 98 to a Windows XP and also a Windows XP to Windows
XP computer). No such luck using the crossover cable with Windows Vista
and Windows XP. Game times out before finding game. Have tried hosting a
game from each laptop, no luck. Have disabled firewalls and virus
protection.

Any help would be appreciated. I'm not real computer savvy so please
give me directions without all of the computereze.

Thanks in advance for your help.


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RVer47