Patch cable is used to connect your computer to a HUB and not directly to each other. If you want to connect 2 computers directly you need a Crossover cable.
Here are the 2 way that you can connect the 2 computers with Cat5 cable
1. You need a Hub, 2 Patch cables, and 2 ethernet cards. Both computers have a Ethernet card and out of those ethernet cards are patch cables that run into the hub so it would kinda be like
Computer(ethernet card) ----Patch Cable----> Hub <----Patch Cable---- Computer(ethernet card)
2. The other way is to use the Crossover Cable, You would need 2 ethernet cards, and 1 crossover cable. Plug the ends of the crossover cable into the computers and thats it.
Computer(ethernet card) --------------------Crossover Cable----------------------Computer(ethernet card)
If you ever need to add more computers to the network you will need the Hub but if you are just going to have 2 computer connected just use the Crossover cable.
I hope I explained that well, post if not.