Seems like your laptop isn't auto-negotiating with the switch correctly. You can manually force it 1000Mbps F/D; http://www.cyberciti.biz/faq/linux-change-the-speed-and-duplex-settings-of-a...
You laptop negotiates it's link speed with the switch, not the other computer (I got the impression you thought it was have a conversation about the link type/speed with the other computer, but unless it can send and receive data properly it can't talk to anyone, this is a carrier sense issues between laptop NIC and switchport).