Why would i have to use their modem?

[Spyda]

In UK, every company that offers ADSL has a modem with it, usually an alcatel speedtouch, they make you buy it off them and its £80, if I wanted to split the connection I would have to buy a USB router which is an extra £130 on top of that.
So if I just unplugged the modem and plugged the line into a router I would save myself a good £60 in the end.
But I have been told that then the ADSL connection wouldnt work, so I am thinking there is some sort of either software in the modem or a chip, so can I program a router to think its theirs, or chip it?

[corosus]

i don't know if that would work, i don't know if anny router that supports a usb modem exists. in anny rate i do not think it makes mutch difference what modem you use. you could call the sales department and ask if you can use your own modem.
if the answer is no You could try running a proxyserever on the machine that has the modem and a lan to your other computer(s).
there is some fairy decent proxy software out there.
http://www.pcmech.com/show/network/123/

[Confused]

A router is not a modem. There are some modems with built in router capabilities. Those would work. But a router itself depends upon the signal from the router.

So you have line to modem to router or line to modem with router capabilities.
Chas

[Spyda]

its a router with a built in modem

[pointd]

Which company are you talking about? Most of the UK companies offer you the modem to make things easier for those with little knowledge but it is not usually compulsory.

I know this as I use broadband in the UK through a combined modem/router. No USB connection in sight and if the company had tried to force me to use a USB connection I would have found a different supplier.

Good places to look for this type of info in the UK are
http://www.adslguide.org/
http://bbs.adslguide.org.uk/