ad-hoc troubles

I'm currently trying to make file transfers between my laptop (XP Home) and desktop (Pro) through an ad-hoc wireless network. The motherboard for my desktop came with an ASUS WiFi-AP Solo 3-in-1 external Wireless LAN Adapter (Omni-directional Antenna), and my laptop came with an integrated Broadcom wireless adapter (both 802.11g) .
I plugged it in, hardware found, software works, but for some reason my two systems can find my newly created network, but neither can connect. I tried making a wireless ad-hoc (yes, the "ad-hoc" thing was checked) on my laptop that is "open" authentication and "disabled" data encryption (I also tried "shared" and "disabled"/"WEP" and making up a password, but still nothing). The desktop's adapter finds the network, adds to the software's profile list, but doesn't connect (the laptop's icon is still X'd out). I tried making one with the desktop, same settings, nothing.
I can set the channel through the desktop's adapter, but I have no idea where to find the channel for my laptop (it uses the Windows wireless software, the desktop has its own software). The desktop adapter is set to Station - Ad-Hoc (not Infrastructure or AP). I also tried manually configuring the IP addresses of each, both within the same subnet, then tried auto-assigning the IP, but still nothing
Has anyone used the Asus external adapter before? If you don't know it's this white circle with an unfolding antenna that has a screw-on plug thing. I don't know if it's that, or if I'm just screwing up the settings. Neither show as connected regardless of which system creates the network. They can see it, but can't connect (it gets stuck on "waiting for the network" on my laptop, nothing for the antenna). I know the cards work because I can connect to wireless LANs fine.
Can anyone help with this?

 

Try to disable on both computers the WZC ( http://www.ezlan.net/wzc.html )

And use on both computers the original wireless utility that came with the cards to configure Ad-Hoc on both.

Do not use any security Filter until you mange to transfer few files.

 

Heh, I found the channel setting on my laptop, plus that it was set to b, not g. Then Norton of course prevented anything from working. Now for some reason it's not working again. My laptop can see my desktop, but not the other way around. I'm pretty sure it's a service on my desktop that needs to be started, because that was part of the problem before (when neither could see each other). All securities are off. I guess that eliminates WCZ, then, considering it worked before without even touching that. I'll get it eventually be guess and test...

 

Aha! As I thought, the Background Intelligent Transfer Service (BITS) wasn't started on my desktop. When I started it, all my laptop's shared folders popped up on My Network Places. Now I have to remember that so I won't get confused for the third time...