Ignorant!

[C@rtman]

Hi,
I have read alot of posts and several sites on the subject but have found my pea of a brain still cant grasp whether I am making the most of my ADSL connection. I have a good spec PC that came with an ethernet 100/10 card pre-installed and also a 1394 adapter card. I use a dial up connection at the moment to connect directly through an internal PCI ADSL modem at 288 / 1152 kbps on PPPoA to a UK based ISP.
My question is that would I be better routing my connection through the ethernet card ( in which case, do I need an additional router ) or am I better as I am. My PC is standalone and not networked in anyway?, also can somebody please tell me what the 1394 thingy is exactly.
I realise this is prolly a bit thick but my PC came with everything pre-installed and no idiot proof explanation of what everything does. Any help would be appreciated.

[cyberskye]

I would in all cases recommend ethernet (rj45) over firewire1394 for networking.

Noiw as for getting the most of your connection, check out this, from one of our guru's sig - http://forums.speedguide.net/showthread.php?s=&postid=643301#post643301 . Post the results of the questions it asks in the tweaking forum.

Cheers,

Skye

[cyberskye]

I use a dial up connection at the moment to connect directly through an internal PCI ADSL modem at 288 / 1152 kbps on PPPoA to a UK based ISP

By the way - adsl is not dial-up. adsl is broadband, tho the PPOE protocols can make it feel like dial-up :)