Router 101 for dummies

[sklwater2]

                   Hi, I have been thrown to the wolves at work, and am truly frustrated.  I am a service provider, with the task of installing a systech device at a site, and was told all I needed was DHCP enabled and dynamic IP for the internet.  The site just put in broadband and their router has a single port.  I picked up a linksys dsl router to use as a router/switch to enable more ports for the internet.  If I hook the broadband router into the internet port of the linksys, I can not get internet access on my laptop through it.  If I hook the broadband to port 1 and my laptop to port 2, I have internet access.  If I hook the systech device to port 3, the support team says they cannot see the device.  But, if I hook the broadband directly to the systech box, they can find the mac address and download to it.  I have set the linksys to default settings, but will not work.  I have spent 12 hours trying and need some advise.

                 Thanks in advance,

                 Alan

[glen.grant]

  No that doesnt really make any sense  if broadband is hooked to port 1  and you get internet on port 2   . If they are trying to get at it from the internet then you will probably have to allow them thru the broadband router and give them the provider address to point to .  Anyway you look at it if it is internet access based you have to allow them thru the broadband router or they are blocked.The broadband routers are basically NAT based FW's so if you don't allow them in they have no access .  You even have this option on your basic home based linksys or netgear routers. If you plug your pc into port 3 do you have access ?  If so then it is working as designed and you are down to figuring out how to give these external devices access on the broadband router. Not knowing what the systech box actually does or how it is supposed to hook in , its hard to elaborate more.

[sklwater2]

This is why I am so frustrated!  If I hook to systech with the broadband router, they can load files and find mac address.  I can get internet on any of the 4 ports.  They said they need port forwarding, 2 ip addresses to 2 different ports, but that is working thru the broadband router, but what is there in a defaulted linksys router that could cause a port to lose this forwarding ability.  I am just lost........  Need I set up port forwarding even though I am not using the internet port?

Thanks