"Dead" Client?

Hi guys,

I have two computers, a desktop (system A, fixed IP 10.0.0.4), and my laptop (system B).
I have successfully set up the server-side (9 java.exe entries in task manager), I downloaded the client as the wiki says and use the --world <target> --development command switches for local operation, but nothing happens when I try to log in*, I don't even see the LAN indicator on the back of the server system flash at all. Is the client dead or has one of its dependencies failed?

The client does not give me any errors and no log files have been produced by it, all the folders in the Multiverse World Browser in My Documents are empty. I tried the patch updater with the same command parameters but it says a 404 error.

Also, is an active internet connection compulsory for one or both of them?

You should patch the client at least once from the foundations servers after that you can use the --development and other tags to work offline or on a LAN.
If you really want to you can setup your own master server/ patch server but it is a little more complicated.

It doesn't do anything whatsoever to that of updating/patching, it just goes straight through to a white window with three fields, username, password, and world.

guest
guest

Now it's moving, thanks for helping me out you guys!