can I connect two modems at the same time to a broadband (DSL) line to get internet on two computers?

No you cannot as there is only one interface at the BT exchange. This interface is only able to connect to one of your modems. If you try and connect a second modem the connection will fail.

However the best solution to your connectivity problem is to buy an ADSL router. Connect the router to your phone line and the computers to the network ports on the router. This is assuming you have a network interface on your computers.

If you have wireless network interfaces on the computers get a wireless router. Handy if you have a laptop too, not limited by cables. If you do set up a wireless network make sure WEP or WPA is used to encrypt your network.

Your DSL line's hardware is only made to support one modem. Adding another modem would like casue interference between the two modems, and neither would work. There are several hardware reasons for this. More Importantly, most DSL ISP carriers only provide one IP address per DSL modem. The more IP addresses that an ISP gives each client, the fewer clients the ISP can support. This concept usually restricts you to one computer directly connected to your DSL modem. To connect a second computer to the DSL modem, you should buy an internet DSL router. These routers play a game with your DSL line to allow you to connect more computers. The DSL router gives every attached computer its own IP address. No matter which computer uses the internet, the router uses the same ISP provided IP address on the DSL side of the line. However, the DSL router changes the Port number in the IP packet that is going to the internet, from each computer. The internet always returns the response packet with the same port number. The DSL router reads the port number of the return packet and sends it to the computer that that has its IP address assigned to that port number on your home network. This is the game that the DSL router plays with the DSL line and ISP provider. It is a game because IP packet port numbers were never meant to be used in this way. However, because their are many undesignated port numbers, the router is free to use them in this fashion. This is how the DSL router allows more than one computer to use the internet at the same time. Although, there are over one thousand port numbers, most DSL home routers will not assign more than 255 ports. The bandwidth of a home DSL line would be overloaded at less than half this number of computers attached to one DSL home router. So it is not a problem. I hope this answer helps you.

There is also another to your question, if you don't want to buy a DSL router. You can use Windows XP to make one computer an internet server and connect the other computer to a hub or switch. Then, connect one of the hub or switch connections to the computer that is plugged into the internet modem. The Windows XP network setup has pictures to show you how to do this.

NO it won't work!!! You get 1 ip address per account, so only one modem will work... To have more than 1 computer access the internet you will need a router which will provide you the ability to use more than 1 computer.

i had a bt /modem/router.. and a bulldog router connected together to give me more connections without any problems.

simply plug your ethernet canle into yht wan socket on your spare modem or router instead of your pc, then plug both your pc and spare pc into the spare ethernet ports on your spare router.

ps. your isp provider is wrong to say its illegal.. as you are still using them as your provider and not using another provider.

settings dont need to be changed, your main router will detect aoutomaticly as long as you switch your pc off first, then switch your main modem on, wait 2 mins, switch the second on. wait a few more mins then switch on your pc.

i have four pc's connected this way with no problems at all

Both modems would probably work but only one computer would as it is the IP address of the computer that is linked up to your ISP. The best way is to use a router whose IP address is used to link with your ISP and then splits the signal to each computer.

You will need an ethernet cable to connect them both. I have 2 connected by wireless technology (router) but you then need 2 adaptors. Ask your provider, because I had to have the loading disc supplied by my service provider (orange france) to connect the 2.

Just buy a Hub or a mini-Switch, to link them both to. Or an ehternet cable to link them both together (with the ADSL modem plugged in one of them). Or go wireless!

Just sell one of the modems and put it towards one of the above.... or sell both the modems and buy an ADSL router.

Just get a router/firewall that will route to both computers from one dsl.

if your old service is still active, yeah, if not, no. the broadband signal connects to the mac address of the modem, i.e. i can take my modem to my neighbours house, he doesn't subscribe internet, and it works there, as the signal to my modem's mac address is all over the cable network [ntl ireland]

You can only hookup one modem to the provider. Sorry..