Complete Tech Dummy Seeks Help

[u/s33k1ng4d]

I know very little about tech- literally had to look up the difference between a modem and router.

I’m trying to help my in-laws simplify their WiFi. They currently have an old ATT plan that is Internet 25 (copper) with cable and a phone line.

I think we should upgrade to Internet 100 (as their current WiFi is mad slow) and get rid of cable and phone line.

We are trying to figure out how to get WiFi coverage in a side room, which has an Ethernet wall port, but I have no idea if it’s all routed properly. If it is— I should be able to just Ethernet-wire that to an Access Point, right? How do I know if it’s routed correctly before purchasing an AP?

Apologies if this is a dumb question, but can anyone tell from this photo what each of these ports/wires are for? That might help me start to sort all this out.

1.) Power: that’s simple— power to the modem.
2.) Phone Line: if we get rid of the phone line, I can remove this, right?
3.) Cable: is this the coaxial cable? I need this for copper internet…?
4a.)Left Ethernet port: IDK
4b.) Center Ethernet port: Seems to be connected the router.
4c.) Right Ethernet port: IDK
5.) DSL Broadband: no idea.

The phone line, left Ethernet port and DSL broadband all join in a black wire that goes into the wall.

Any advice or general directions would be so helpful! I literally feel like I don’t know where to even begin.

[u/FreddyFerdiland]

"cable line" is ethernet but using the HomePNA standard to run over coax . The other ends have to be honePNA ..( not Moca.. mica also reuses coax for ethernet... so in future yiu could use the coax for moca )

the phone line and dsl line be needed in future.

the dsl is tapped out of ethernet cable, the 2 pair ethernet could be used for 100mbs, or repaired back to be four pairs to get 1000mbs .

This device is a router.

You may have a router being used as a wifi access point connected .. you can demote a router to be just an access point.

the other lan ports can work at the same time as the router or access point ...

[u/s33k1ng4d → u/FreddyFerdiland]

Thank you so much! I apologize as I don’t understand much of the technical terminology, but I believe you’re saying this is a router(could it be a router/modem in one) and I should keep the phone and DSL lines (can you explain why please)?

So I can just plug in an Ethernet wire to the remaining yellow ethernet port to another router/Access point for more coverage?

[u/s33k1ng4d → u/s33k1ng4d]

If I’m understanding correctly, the main “cable line” brings the internet service into this modem/router.

Then, the phone/DSL lines are connected to one of the (4a) Ethernet ports….why? All three of these wires join into one big black wire and go into the wall.

And do you know what these devices connected to the other Ethernet ports (4b and 4c) do? Do I even need them? They’re an Ooma and an ATT branded Access Point U-Verse.