I've always used XAMMP to install everything.
Then I added an entry in my windows 'hosts' file that made my domain name point back to localhost so all my links/graphics/etc would resolve back to my pc.
So no matter if I was connected to the internat or not, when I typed
www.mydoamin.com into my browser it would loop back into the webserver that was on my PC.
*this is a great way to mess with someone too because you can point any domain to any other domain...like hotmail.com to ratemymullet.com*