Do you intend to use the laptop wirelessly? If so, you will need a wireless router. Either way, you will need a router to split the modem connection between two computers. The setup goes :phone socket---- voyager modem---- router ------computer1, computer2 if it is cabled or the same but the laptop will be wirelessly. The router goes between the modem and the rest of the network, either way. Check with aol for proper router settings and protocols.