How to connect laptop to DSL???

Here's my problem: I just got DSL through Bellsouth which works great compared with dial-up!
I' not too interested in networking...yet but, would like to connect my wife's IBM thinkpad to the DSL, so she can surf while I'm playing.
I've got the Speedstream 3060 internal modem for my desktop that came from Bellsouth with the install CD. Setup was no problem.
I got her a Nortel Networks BayStack 22 PC Card Adapter (10/100 PCMCIA Modem.) The Baystack intalled no problem. My sister sent me a Westell Infospeed DSL Modem from Bell Atlantic (which she no longer needed) I connected the DSL line to the Westell and ran a CAT5 line to the Baystack on the laptop.
Now I'm totally lost. What now? How do I get it to connect to the service???
Bellsouth said it was no problem for me to hook up another computer to the line EXCEPT they will not provide support for it!!!
Am I missing something??? How do I get the IP address??? Are they (Bellsouth) supposed to provide it?? I think they issue dynamic IP address.

Anyone please help as I'm a total neophyte with this stuff.

you only get one IP address unless they offer multiple IP's witch you would have to pay for. Does the westell modem work with your dsl service. try hooking it to the dsl line by it self and connecting it to the laptop. Run the pppoe client on the laptop and see if you are able to connect. If you are able to connect using the westell then remove the 3060 modem. Your best bet at that point is to get a cabl/dsl router and plug the westell unit in to the wan port on the router and then plug your computers in to the lan ports. As an aside the 3060 is an old modem. Much of what I have typed will not work if you are connecting though a pppoa client witch is the way 95% of 3060's connect. Find out if your connection is pppoa. If you connect though a modified dialer with a long number in place of a phone number then it is pppoa. By giving you an internal modem the made it next to imposible to shre the connection.

Another problem is I'm a total neophyte with all this...terms and such.
What is the pppoe client? Where do I find it to use it as the connection?
Thanks for your help.

kj4ta said:

Another problem is I'm a total neophyte with all this...terms and such.
What is the pppoe client? Where do I find it to use it as the connection?
Thanks for your help.

Click to expand...

P.P.P.o.E. stands for point to point protacall over ethernet. It uses a network card and a dsl modem to make the physical connection and a software program to authenticate and complete the the connection. Some of the common pppoe clients are EnterNet 300, RASPPPoE, WinPoet. Usually you have an Icon on your desktop that when you double click on it brings up a connect window and you connect with it. P.P.P.o. A. stands for point to point protocal over ATM. It uses a dsl modem and a dialup like connection to compleat the physical connection and You usually connect to the internet using a dialer and you have a long wierd number that gets put in in place of the phone number. PPPOA modems are less expensive overall but are less flexable. Most DSL providers use pppoe connections although many still have customers that use pppoa. If you have a pppoa line the westell modem probably wont work unless the line is converted to pppoe. The 3060 modem can do either pppoa or pppoe. Is your modem all internal or is their an external box that goes with it. describe how you connect to the internet.

Ahhh haaa!!! I connect through the PPPOA! When I open the "Internet Options" window through the Control Panel, I open "Internet Properties" open the Connections tab, click the settings button for my Speedstream ADSL. I click on properties button and my options are only my Ambient dial modem or connect with PPP ATM Adapter.
My 3060 is all internal for my desktop.
The options for connecting to the internet for the IBM Thinkpad are only the dial modem and Microsoft VPN Adapter. I don't know how to change the options for connecting to the internet for the Thinkpad. Is it even possible?
I guess it can't be done???

It probably is posible. Your dsl company has ensured that you will have a hard time conneting two computers at the same time. Your best bet is exploring the feasability of getting changed to pppoe and getting a new modem. If your account is under 90 days old they might change it over and trade out modems. I do not believe the westell modem would work even if you got the line converted to pppoe though. You might be able to do Internet connection sharing on it. You would need to add a nic card to the computer with the modem and get software to share the connection then run a crossover cable to the second computer.

If I set up the PC's for peer to peer networking, will we be able to share the DSL connection using just the CAT5 cable?
I could install a 10/100 Ethernet card to mine I have sitting here.
I know I need to set up each PC's protocalls and such. Just wondering how would the laptop connect to the internet? Through mine...the desktop?

peer to peer is the physical part of it but you allso need the software part of it. For this you need a software program that does NAT(network address translation) to share the connection across the peer to peer network. several flavors of windows will do it but it can be hard to implement. There are also several companies that have the software as well.
these are programes recomended by speedguide.net to do the job your lookig to do
Recommended NAT software:
Sygate
Internet Gateway 6.0

Recommended Proxy:
Wingate
WinProxy