[H] network problems with my WD Live!

[Winterlight]

I have a WD Live! that constantly looses the PC it needs to connect 
to on the Network. This has been an intermittent problem since I 
bought it in 2010 but lately it has gotten so bad that I can only 
connect to Media libraries and it can't see any Network clients.

It is not the network and it is not the PC. All other PCs and devices 
work fine on the Network including a couple of XBOXs. I can also 
access the WD LIVE! and manage USB drives from the PC. I just can't 
connect to any PCs from the WD LIVE except for media libraries. This 
WD Live doesn't need to connect to the internet so I am thinking of 
plugging a CAT5e into the WD LIVE and then right into the second 
unused NIC on the PC it needs to connect to. So how would I set that 
NIC up.... could I use the same IP address or should I use a 
different one .... do I have to use a crossover.. how should I go 
about this? Thanks