(resolved x 9001)network adapter questions

Well, I had to reformat my computer today, and not everything is going to well....  :'(
Took me awhile to find the CD for my Linksys network adapter but now in order to connect to my families comcast modem I need a network key. I'm currently running on Linksys connection point at the moment and it sucks! Not only what they say is complete lies, but it took me 6mins to load rmrk homepage. (Took me 1 hour and 40+mins to download firefox which was only 5mb...) Linksys says that you run at 10+mbps, I highlight the connection box and it says I'm running at 11mbps. Lies because when I was downloading firefox I was only getting 3~4 kbps....

Anyways on to my questions:

1) What is a network key? (Is it a password or a ID?)
2) Where can I find it?

If anyone can help me please let me know. I don't know how much longer I can stand this worse-then-dial-up connection.  :'(

Just a question are you running on vista? As i've seen vista turn modems away and there installation disks, it tried to connect itself to the internet, when it couldn't it wouldn't read the modem as anything lol

I'm on Windows XP, using a eMachine 

Your router is probably secured with WEP or WPA.

They key (or SSID) should be printed on the bottom of the router or in the manual or something. That is, unless somebody hasn't changed it.

Also, Network speed and Internet speed are different things. Just cause I'm on a 100mbps network doesn't let me download from the internet at 100mbps.

ok thank you ^^ funny thing though >_> I wake up this morning and now my internet is running how it used too.... I don't think I was ever connected to my modem ._.

EDIT2: WOOT! called comcast and got the code! My internet is back in gear Not only that, I found out I was never connected to the modem in the first place >_< So now I'm FINALLY at high speed internet after 2 years of having the modem ._.