Do I need a coax outlet? How do I hard-wire my computer?

It depends on your Eyesurf service type. Cable internet needs a working coax outlet (the round cable-TV-style jack) — the modem screws onto it with a coax cable. DSL internet doesn't use coax at all — the modem plugs into a regular telephone wall jack. And to hard-wire a computer for work, you don't need coax either way: run an Ethernet cable from a LAN port on your modem or router (or on a Vilo) straight to the computer.

Cable internet: yes, you need coax

• The cable modem connects to the wall with a coax cable — the round connector that screws on.
• The outlet needs to be active. If the modem's DS/US lights won't stop flashing, check that the coax is finger-tight at both the wall and the modem.
• If there's a splitter between the wall and the modem, try connecting the modem directly to the wall outlet — splitters weaken the signal.

DSL internet: no coax — it uses the phone jack

• The DSL modem plugs into a telephone wall jack with a phone cable, into the modem's DSL port (grey on most of our modems).
• If you also have telephones on the same line, each phone needs a small DSL filter between it and the jack (the modem itself connects unfiltered).

Hard-wiring a computer (best for working from home)

A wired connection is faster and more stable than WiFi — worth doing for a work computer or game console:

1. Plug an Ethernet cable into a LAN port on your modem or router (the numbered ports — not the port the wall connection uses).
2. Plug the other end into your computer. No settings needed — it connects automatically.
3. Have Vilo mesh? Each Vilo has two LAN ports (LAN1 and LAN2) you can plug devices into — see Can I use an Ethernet cable to connect a device to one of the Vilos?. One caution: the Vilo's WAN/LAN port is reserved for the connection to your modem — plug devices into LAN1 or LAN2 only.
4. If your computer doesn't have an Ethernet port, an inexpensive USB-to-Ethernet adapter works fine.

Not sure what you have?

If your modem connects to a round screw-on outlet, you're on cable; if it connects to a phone jack, you're on DSL. Still not sure — or your outlet seems dead? Contact us and we'll figure it out with you.

Contact us

Chat with us at eyesurf.net, email support@eyesurf.net, or call 1-855-804-7873 (Mon–Sat 9am–6pm Eastern, closed Sunday).

Updated on: 20/08/2026