Did I buy the wrong piece of kit?

[#1]

Hi everyone, a first time poster so apologies in advance if I break any of the conventions. Having used a std TG582n wireless router for a number of years with no problems,  I came to upgrade my Dell Dimension 3000 (9 years old and counting) for a new PC  and started to encounter all sort of problems with the router and getting my wireless network running again.
Perhaps rather hastily I dashed out and replaced it with a Asus RT-N66U Router which I thought was an upgrade but I think I've bought the wrong thing as the manual talks about connecting it via a modem which don't have.
Did I buy the wrong thing and if so what additional kit do I need to purchase to get back up and running?
Thanks in advance for any help and Merry Christmas everyone

[#2]

Hi "Tonyl", and welcome to the forum ! 

Well yes, the Asus RT-N66U is what is known as a 'cable' router, as opposed to a ADSL router, that you probably intended to buy.
However all is not lost !
Luckily for you, the TG582n while not having the best WiFi, or routing capabilities (compared to the RT-N66U), it does come with one of the better ADSL modem circuits built in.
What you can do is configure the TG528n into something called "bridge mode", which effectively disables the router and WiFi functionality, and instead connects one of the ethernet ports to the digital side of the built in modem.
What you do is use an ethernet cable from the WAN port of the Asus RT-N66U, and connect that to the LAN port of the TG582n and treat it like an ADSL modem.
In the TG582n, you configure the ADSL parameters, i.e. PPPoA, VC-MUX, VCI=0, VPI=38.
In the RT-N66U, you configure the WAN as PPPoE, and enter your Plusnet login username and password.
What you end up with is a great modem, connected to a great router, with much improved WiFi capability.

Your homework for today is to search this forum and the internet for instructions or tutorial on how to put the TG582n into "bridge mode".
Here is the first one I came across - "Using the Technicolor TG582n in Bridge Mode"

Good luck !

[#3]

or use the asus as an access point
Ian

[#4]

or return it and buy the correct model for ADSL.

[#5]

Thanks to everyone for their responses and if I was a more experienced and confident IT user I'd have a go at 1 or 2 but I think Ill end up doing 3 !
Thanks again

[#6]

What are the chances of your exchange being upgraded to fibre ?
If that is a possibility, then your Asus RT-N66U would be ideal.
If you were to put the TG582n into bridge mode to make an ADSL modem, when you came to change to fibre then all you would need to do is unplug the ADSL modem and simply replace it with the BT fibre modem supplied - no configuration settings changes to do, job done.

[#7]

If there is any chance that in the near future you might upgrade to FTTC I would strongly recommend that you go for the bridge mode solution. Otherwise you could go for the equivalent all in one which is the DSL-N66U - that works on fibre as well as ADSL.