I'm having problems hooking up to the internet.
Messages come up telling me that my modem is busy, and then they tell me I need to install a kernel with ppp support.
I'm a total newbie, and I have very little to no idea about what' going on.

Mystiqa,

Read this document--
http://linuxdocs.org/HOWTOs/Kernel-HOWTO.html
several times to gain an understanding of the kernel before you do anything to it. Then follow the instructions on compiling the kernel.

In order to use kppp and connect to the internet, make sure you also select the networking options when you configure the kernel that you are about to compile.

Good luck.