please be nice as i am so inexperienced with all of this….

i currently have u-verse and would like to add an additional PC to the configuration so i can access the Internet.  I have tw pieces of equipment:the 3wire router and another Netgear piece of hardware. I have 4 TVs connected and a desktop (and a laptop).

My questions:

1.  Are they both routers?  if not, what are they, and what are their purposes?

2.  Where would I plug in the Cat-5 to get Internet access to a new desktop?

3.  Is there any specific configuration needed?

Thanks!

The netgear device is an open (unmanaged) switch.  They are installed by AT&T if needed in your house.  look at what equipment you have plugged into the switch.  If you have set top boxes plugged into it then you probably wont want to plug your PC into it.  Stb's and PC's should not be mixed on the same switch.  You can just plug right into the Uverse gateway as mentioned above or you can purchase a wireless adapter for your PC and set it up wirelessly as you would a laptop.  In any case you will not have to reconfigure it.