When I open up my network connections in the control panel, I have two connections. The one is my RCA Cable Modem and the other is my D-Link DFE-530TX+ PCI Adapter. In order for me to get on the internet, I must disbale the D-Link connection and just use my RCA Cable Modem. Is this normal? I also have a router hooked up but I am not sure which connection to use.

Well, from what you describe, sounds like you have two choices with the hardware you have.

If you have a D-Link router, and you have a D-Link nic (Network Interface Card), you could set yourself up on a routered network. Then if you decided to add computers later to share your broadband access, you would have that option. This is a handy way to have multiple (usually up to 4) computers all running off the same internet broadband. Plus the fact that the cable company won't get ticked at you because all your computers route (thus the name, "router") through the router which assigns only one IP address. So the cable company only sees one IP address coming from the router accessing their network instead of 4 separate addresses, one from each computer. After all, they would like to be paid for each computer, right? You also get the advantage of the firewall in the router for additional security, in addition to the one you should be running off your computer.

The reason that your connection works the other way you described (by disabling the router) is that you do not have the router/network configured properly. I strongly suggest using the 800 number that D-Link provies for help. The techs are very qualified and helpful and will have you up&running in no time.

So as it is now, you are accessing the cable direct through the NIC that you have in your computer. Actually, that is fine and proper. Just make double-dawg sure that you have an active and updated firewall running, AND an updated Anti-Virus running!