Router vs modem?

[gooch1980]

Hi
Where to start!
We use mac computers on airport express. The airport express is connected to a router, which provides the connection. Its a iball Baton.
We live overseas, and recently purchased a subscription to a company that will allow us to watch UK tv online.
We set up the 'Watch TV" thing as per the instructions, as a new network.
It was not connecting at all, or when it did we were told there was a VPN error and it had been disconnected due to the communication device.
I know very little about computers, but after going through lots of things and looking at lots of info online (and a phone call to iball baton peeps) I discovered that the router does not support VPN and isnt PPTP passthrough enabled.
So I went out and bought a new router. A Linksys E2000 that did have all those settings enabled.
After trying myself I had to call the support people as the new router wouldnt connect to the internet. Spent an HOUR (!) on the phone plugging things in and unplugging them, and the guy kept asking me about the modem and I wasnt sure as I use a laptop so dont have a modem tower, as such. He told me I must have one, so I thought he must have meant the small box that the phone and internet leads connect to - like a phone jack.
Please dont laugh!
Turns out that our old iball baton router is also the modem. And we have to plug that in to the new router for the new router to work. Whats the point of that? This means I have had to abandon the airport express device because there is only one ethernet cable at the back of the Baton, and that is plugged into the Linksys.
Finally we got it working, and I was excited to go and check the mac mini and finally connect to the watch UKTV network. BUT IT STILL DOESNT WORK!!!!!!
Is this because we are having the signal sent through the old router/modem? Do I need to buy a modem to replace this that does support VPN? I thought the whole point of a laptop was that you dont need a modem?
As you can tell I am really confused. Can anyone help me? How do I get my $200 router to do what I want it to without using the old one as a middle man!?

[YeOldeStonecat]

Have not hear of an "iball baton"....I suspect that it is a combo modem/router. So when you put your own router behind that...you end up with basically a router behind another router. Which creates a double NAT situation...which..isn't good.

Two options I see...get a switch and an access point behind the iball baton, or...convert the iball baton to run in pure bridged mode (just as a dumb modem)..and have your own router obtain the public IP on its WAN interface.

[gooch1980]

Thanks - I was thinking that by running the new router through the old one, that it would automatically then become just a modem. Can I change the old modems settings without re-connecting it as the router? How do I actually go about what you are suggesting, can you help?
I should have just bought a linksys modem/router combo but didnt realise that at the time! Im learning.......but what an expensive mistake to make!

[gooch1980]

[QUOTE=or...convert the iball baton to run in pure bridged mode (just as a dumb modem)..and have your own router obtain the public IP on its WAN interface.[/QUOTE]
This is the bit I need help with - thanks YeOldeStonecat! And yes, the old one is a modem/router combo.

[YeOldeStonecat]

I've never seen that unit...wouldn't know how to do it. Most ISP support will work with you to convert the units to pure bridged mode so you can use your own router. They usually stop at helping you with their own router..but long as you know your PPPoE credentials you should be fine.

VPN is not a "NAT" friendly protocol....hence why most units have PPTP/IPSec/L2P passthrough options..it allows the VPN traffic to pass through unmolested. But having 2x routers..back to back..that is 2x NAT walls to pass through....hence the VPN really freaks out.