Modem + router question

Right now, I have the modem/router my ISP gave me. I want something with better siginal and speed, so I bought a Linksys WRT54G. I bought it, and tryed to set it up, but my internet cord is too small to fit in the Linksys internet slot. I ended up returning the Linksys, but I will go back and by another if I know how to fix this.

Right now I have:
Internet cord comming from a wall into my modem/router
Ethernet cord going from modem/router to computer.

 

You said the cord was to small, is the cable from the modem to the router a USB cable. Look on the back of the modem as see if there is a nic jack. If so you switch over to a cat5e cable.

Another note the Linksys WRT54G is not that good any more. You want the WRT54 GL model if you buy Linksys.

Is the cord coming out of the wall a coax, phone cord, cat5e?

 

You need a DSL MODEM to MOdulate- DEModulate the signal; essentially an Analog/Digital conversion. You need a Router to provide DHCP, DNS gateways, and thereby sharing of the (probably) single IP address your ISP provided you and to allow for NAT and filtering and so forth. Your router may be wired, wireless, or have both; however, it will be wired between the MODEM and the Router. Most likely by a CAT5/6 style cable/connector. The connection between the wall and the MODEM is typically simple phone wire for DSL. For cable it is, well, cable.

Your ISP may have provided you with a box that combines the MODEM and the Router into a single box. You can probably just plug a router in instead of the PC and either plug the PC into the router or go wireless. You'll need another cable, like the one you have now between your MODEM and PC, to go between the MODEM and the Router. CAT5/6, which can be found at almost any office supply store these days.

You'll not increase the speed, nor probably the signal by replacing the router, though. Talk to your ISP about getting a speed bump, or if you are already paying for speed you are not getting, about fixing it.

 

No, it isnt a usb cable.

The internet cord is plugged into this thing that has 2 slots "DSL/HPNA" and "Phone". and that is plugged into the wall.

edit - JohnDoe - I see what you are saying, but what do I need to buy?

 

Not a USB Cable, just a plain old phone wire the the RJ-whatever jacks, right?

I added more after you read it.

 

Also, run a speed test to determine what speed you are actually getting.

Here is a link to a commonly used one.

 

Download speed - 1164 Kb/s
Upload speed - 321 KB/s
Latency - 38ms

Is this good or bad?

 

Depends on what you are paying for.

I pay for 768/128 and usually get around 745/93.