[GTALUG] Modem/router replacement?

[William Witteman]

I have been using the same DSL modem for ages (I think I might have
bought it from iStop), and it continues to work pretty well.  However,
because it has a router in front of it, whenever I have a problem tech
support wants me to plug it directly into my computer and run the
PPPoE from there to eliminate the router as the source of the problem.

A brief, magically resolving problem over the weekend has brought up
two things that I would like to know from the list's vast knowledge.

1) How do I run a PPPoE connection from Linux, preferably from the command line?

2) If I want to buy a new modem as a spare, do people have
recommendations, and should it include a router?

Thanks!