I would like to network my 2 desktops together so that I can run some devices off of #2 and be able to login to #2 from #1.
I believe NFS is for moving/viewing files not logging in so what would someone suggest?

I use ssh, but it's strictly command line. With proper port-forwarding, you can also use if for remote access from the Big Wide World.

There is also ssh -X, but I have never needed to master it.

If you want GUI access, you might also want to look at some sort of VNC.

For file shares, I use Samba, because there are Windows computers in the house, but it works just fine between Linux computers.

I will be running several programs to control scientific devices to gather data on my #2 machine. I need to be able to login to #2 from my #1 machine so that I can stop-restart and on occasion view the run time graphs there. Moving files can be done via NFS. But since I have a single monitor, I must be able to see what is happening on my #2 machine. There is no others to access either machines and #1 is the only one ever connected to the internet thru an ISP and my firewall hence there is no need for SSH type security.
My knowledge of setting up an ethernet connection for something like this is really limited and have had no luck so far in finding anything there. So maybe my question should be can this be done?
Then if so then how?
I can set up a user on #2 that's easy. What I can't fathom is how to use the cross-over ethernet cable between machines to do what I want and how to have #2 respond with a request for username and password.

How about a KVM switch? I have one and I do loves it.

If you don't need to transfer files back and forth, that should do the job.

Otherwise, it might be worth it to invest in a router and establish your own subnet.

If you don't need ssh security, you could use telnet, but, really, ssh and scp (for file transfer) are really quite easy to use.

The rest of this is shots in the dark:

A crossover cable is used to connect two machines without a network. If one machine is networked, that is, connected to the internet, trying to use a crossover cable will likely not work very well. It probably could be done, but would probably be more trouble than it's worth and require a second ethernet card in one machine.

Alternatively, you can use one machine as a router to establish a connection (Linux does that very nicely, though I've never needed to use that functionality; my understanding is that you would need two ethernet cards, though, one pointing to the Big Wide World and one pointing to your own network).

This is the best tutorial on subnetting that I have ever seen. Do not be put off by the HTML 3.0 formatting; it's good information clearly presented. I think it would be worth your while to look it over before proceeding.

By the way, and quite off-topic, I must say that I love your user name. It always gives me a smile.

@frankbell: giggles ya, me 2. Tnx 4 info but still not quite what I am after.
I saw a GUI approach to this, I think, but left me cold for lack of what was going on and strange names.
Basically I have 2 desktops connected by ethernet cross-over cable. The #1 is my primary development machine. #2 is running data collection via a couple of printer ports to one multiplexer and 3 seismometers. I would like to login from #1 to #2. A KVM will make my workspace a bigger mess than it is (I live in a shoe box) and I would like to just get to a window and login to #2. Not familiar with ssh, secure shell, and do not think it should be necessary, but could be wrong. Played with this awhile back and was able to telnet & ftp but did not try logging in. Time damages brain so have forgotten what I did for the most part. Has anyone else done something like this?

If you need GUI access, you should investigate a virtual network connection or VNC. Follow think in post #2 above.

From Wikipedia: