Apologies in advance for my lack of technological knowledge. Both laptops are currently connected by LAN cable to the Wireless router which is connected to the Cable Modem.

As regards the reference to a 'copy', I was referring to the e-mail account. I do not know how Outlook works but it appears that the version on the first laptop holds the main account as any e-mails I send from the second laptop do not appear in the 'sent items' file on the second laptop but do appear in the inbox of the first laptop version of Outlook.