Direct cable connection

I often have to connect to Windows 98 computers with unknown capabilities to exchange a few files. The easiest way in the past was with Windows Direct Cable Connection on the printer port. Now with XP proffesional it says I am connected but the computer or drive does not show up anywhere. Drives have been shared on both machines. I have now tried this with several Windows 98 machines, setting them up as both host and guest with no luck. My machine normally logs on to a domain even when not connected, but I have tried it as administrator on my local machine. This has happen hundreds of miles from even a phone so it has been very frustrating.

Tim