Need help connecting my DSL?!!?

Question

okay, im only a teen and im the only one in my house with "technical knowledge". my mom's old and doesnt really know how to work a computer and stuff. but we have earthlink DSL and a regular phone company. i have no clue how im supposed to connect the internet. my modem has an ethernet port and a DSL port. we also have a router but my mom said we don't need that. i think we do. but do we have to have like verizon or AT&T for a router or can we just have a working phone with earthlink DSL and get the internet working. the phone company is "local phone co." there not as "popular" as verizon or any other company. please help. also i have the ethernet connected and the light is green but when i try to "configure" everything else, the DSL light just flashes and the internet light doesnt turn on. please help. thanks.

Answer 1

Well, I would tell you to start with the instructions that Earthlink sent to you with the MODEM!  If you lost those, you can use the online help they provide.

http://kb.earthlink.net/case.asp?article...

It has step by step directions for you.  

Whether you need the router or not depends on whether you have more than one computer that needs access. Even if you do need the router, you set the modem up FIRST, then ADD the router thus getting it all working so

1. Setup Modem -- use the directions from EarthLink

2. Add Router -- use the directions provided with the router

Answer 2

First you have to make sure that you have DSL service from your phone company. Then you need to plug a phone line cord in to a phone jack and hook the other end up to the port on the back of your modem that says "phone" or "line"but on yours I think its "DSL". Then plug your Ethernet cable into the Ethernet port and plug the other end into the Ethernet port on your computer.

If you only need to connect the DSL to one computer then you do not need the router.

This should work. If you need help connecting still I suggest that you contact your ISP or phone company they should be able to walk you through the process.

Answer 3

Plug the modem into the Phone jack (don't use a phone filter). plug the modem into a power plug. If you have more than one PC plug the modem into the router (the source plug) and plug the router into a power plug. Use another network cable to plug it into your Computer (if one is in the same room for faster connection(if there isn't one don't use the router, just plug it into the wireless adapter)) and if you want Wi/Fi plug a cable from the router into the wireless hot spot.