Vista - Networking LAN ethernet vista PC and Laptop

Hello.
I am a newbie to networking and Vista which has led me here. I have spent a week solving various niggles but now I am totally stuck. I have looked through/searched the threads and am wondering if I explain the problem someone can give me the relevant thread. Or better still a step by step guide for an idiot to follow.

I have a new HP Pavillion elite m9465uk desktop with Vista Home Premium 64bit.
I also have a new PCspecialist laptop with Vista Home Premium 64bit.
I have a Pluscom 5 port 10/100mbps switch and 4x5e cables.
My router is a Mediatrix 1102 (I'm on line of sight).
My aim is to network them both and share the internet connection.
I have disabled Bullguard on both and also windows firewall.

1. If I plug the ethernet 5e cable directly into the pc or laptop from the router I have internet access. If I use the network map its Pc - gateway - Internet.
2. I can network the pc and laptop using the switch, they see each other and the only issue is they both keep switching back to a public network from private, not sure if that is relevant. If I use the network map it is
Pc ====]------switch
l
laptop==]


But the problem is if I connect the ethernet cable from the router to Up-link socket (or any other) on the switch I lose the network and have no internet with either.

Please, please please help.

Solved.
I thought the 5e cable from the router had to go into the uplink port on the switch. It doesn't.
Anyone know what the uplink port is for?