If you've got the money, might as well get the modem (if you don't need it after a while, you can sell it on Ebay, keep it in case you move, or hack/mod it into something cool). I know I wouldn't want to go months without internet access at home, but that's just me.

I don't know. I think I'll buy one.
I know nothing about hacking.
Can anyone tell me where I can learn to hack programs?
I have the same "problem".

By 'hacker' I just mean a clever person who likes to solve problems. I don't take 'hacker' to mean anything bad or illegal. Eric Raymon has a nice article:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/hacker-howto.html#what_is

How do you hack prorams?
1. Learn the programming language that the program was written in.
2. Grab a copy of the program's source.
3. Change the program to suit your needs (this is the hacking part).
4. (optional) Release your improvements or submit your improvements to the author of the program.

The open source movement gives you the freedom to be a good hacker.

If you meant hack in a bad or illegal way--which is cracking, well, you are on your own. Besides, with open source software you don't need to crack, you can get the source code and turn it into anything you want.

From what I know the only way to view a source code in windows is the Assembler language. Unfortunatley I couldn't find any easy to understand tutorials. Do you know where I can get some?For free if it's possible.

If money is a problem...
 

and it seems to be, then another choice, ahem, is to use the existing modem.

1. Follow the above supplied linmodem URL's for information. Also go to linuxant and download the .exe utilitities for windows, assuming your computer has win on it, to find out exactly which type of Conexant modem you have, that is, HCF or HSF.

www.linuxant.com/drivers/modemident.php

There is a pdf file there, telling how to use it. "list modem type identification." It tells you how to use "list modem application for windows" available on the same page, look for link. There is also a tool for linux if win is gone for any reason.
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If this URL doesn't work, try

www.linuxant.com/company/ and click on the link that says "softmodem drivers for Conexant chips" to work your way to the utilities. This takes you to www.linuxant.com/drivers .

The drivers page will have a link "identify your modem chipset" which gives the php page mentioned above for the identifcation executables.

It will also have at the left under hcf or hsf the installation instructions.
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2. Then, download the free beta drivers. I got it when it was wide open, and made a CD copy. I think it was for kernel 2.4 and a google shows 8.2 used kernel 2.4.18. Thus look here

www.int21.de/conexant/

for beta drivers. Fear not. Some folks think sincewhen they took open source files and changed the stable versions to propietary, by some magic the open source beta files became propietary also. That is not possible.

I am using one of them, I forget which, on my 2 year old Dell laptop. It was free, and will work as long as I have kernel 2.4 in use. As soon as you get them make a CD, they will work as long as you use kernel 2.4.

By the way, generally I advocate financial support for our linux suppliers. However, I think folks with little money are not obliged to pay when something is legally free, such as the old 2.4 beta drivers.

I did find key crackers listed in a foreign language for the proprietary linux drivers. I am not telling you where to find them, since I think that is illegal.

I downloaded from linuxant the list modem application for windows.
Detection was succesfull. What do I do now?
Downloaded the HSF file from int21 what do I do now?
Is hacking programs for good purposes, legal?
If so, where can I get more information?