STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

First, the modem.  Some DSL/Cable ISPs  require a certain type of modem.  Contact the company you need to use to find out the brand and model of the modem, then go to buy.com (or circuit city or comp USA or Best Buy) and plug in the name & number and buy it.  There is nothing stopping you from doing that.

Second, the router.  If you only have one computer, there is no _need_ for a router.  You can hardwire your computer with ethernet to the router.  That said, if you want more than one computer on your line, OR if you want wireless access, OR if you're interested in the hardware firewall protection a router provides you, go & buy a arouter.  If you search hard enough, you can find a good one for $20.

I am sure your building is not _requiring_ you to use wireless in your apartment.  The only case that I can think of is perhaps they told you they would not run ethernet wires throught the apartment for you.  But wireless is merely for your convenience, for example if you have a laptop with a wireless adapter in it then you can have your laptop on and run about the house checking email in any room as you go.

Let me know if this doesn't make sense or you need more info.

DSL for $15 a month, consider yourself LUCKY!!!!  At that price, get the cheapest landline plan you can (you can get one of those plans where you pay per call for local calls, so there's very little monthly charge), don't use it at all, and get vonage as a second line and use it for your long distance, etc.

Wait until you get the laptop before you buy the router, and if you get the laptop from someplace like bestbuy, sometimes they will give you a router for cheap/free.  Most routers are the same (unless you're doing some VERY complicated networking) and even if you can't get a deal with the laptop, I've never had to pay more than $20 for one, with a little homework.