Hey mcSlack here's a good website that may help:
http://www.practicallynetworked.com/
Also you said both comps are host doesn't one of them have to be a client? and one host, not really sure. wish I could remember how I fixed mine, I got them hooked up to my router now so I no longer have them hooked as a network,
You are sure it's a crossover cable??
http://www.homenethelp.com/
here's another one