Verizon DSL

My friend has problem with connection to the internet.
After he descriped me problem by phone it looked like differen (like
bridge connection between two PCs)
I was there on Tuesday, and the situation is very different. He's got
Verizon DSL (on my experience - the worst ISP in USA). He already
changed his Westel 6100 DSL modem a month ago. This one is working,
but sometimes loosing connection. When I connected it straight to PC,
after 10-15 minutes it finally get connected to internet. When it is
connected to Router (linksys BEFSR41 ver 3.4) to connect to internet
is getting almost half an hour.
I think router is configured right (IP 192.168.2.1).
I called Verizon twice. What was their answer? If you want to have
network with Verizon DSL, you should buy from them DSL modem/wireless
router fixture. Two representatives told me, if I have two fixtures
with different names (Westel / Linksys) it's not gonna work. What a
bulshit.
This guy's DSL service ends in March 2008. I told him - get yourselfe
Cable.

Filip