Aloha greendragon,
You can go either wireless or wired, but you'll still need a router between you two boxes. The router will be providing what is know as
network address translation, which is a fancy way of saying that the cable modem gets its IP address from your ISP (Internet Service Provider), and the router provides an internal, private, set of IP address to your network. That way, your ISP doesn't have to provide but one address (and they won't know how many computers you have sharing the same internet connection).
In a wired scenario, all you need is a router, some ethernet (network) cables, and a bit of time to set up your router. It's fairly simple to do, but if you need any assistance, zag me an email at:
HawaiiMacAddict@gmail.com.
For a wireless scenario, there are a few more steps, but it's not really that difficult. I have both wired and wireless clients in my home network, and am also in a mixed (Mac/Windows) environment. Zag me an email if you get stuck, and I'll gladly assist you in getting your network off the ground.
One other thing to remember is that most wireless routers also have ports for wired access. The Apple Airport Extreme has only three ports, whereas most wireless routers have four, but as you're only talking two clients, that should be plenty. Of course, the Airport Extreme is a bit pricier than some of the alternative, but it is also 802.11N for the wireless, which pushes up the price a bit. Do you know whether the Dell laptop has a pre-N card in it (the MacBook definitely has the 802.11N card)? If not, you can save some money and just get an 802.11b/g router.
I hope I haven't confused you too much, but I don't know where you stand, with respect to your networking knowledge. If you need me to explain anything in more detail, please let me know.

HawaiiMacAddict