Why won't my Time Warner Cable remote work?

Why won't my internet won't work when I plug the ethernet cable directly into my time warner cable modem?

• I recently got time warner cable for the first time and both the router and the modem plug into the cable so they aren't directly connected (the routers upstairs and the modem downstairs) The other night I decided to bring my desktop downstairs and plug the ethernet into my modem because it doesn't have a wifi card but when I do I can't get a connection although it works right away when plugged into the router, is there any way I can get around this? I don't have another cable plugin so I can't bring the router down here and it is really getting to be a pain having to take my computer upstairs when I want to download something or get on the internet, luckily I have a laptop as well but this is still hindering my ability to watch movies on netflix and stuff on my TV downstairs. If you have had a run in with this as well or know what I can try I would really appreciate it. Thanks in advance.

• Answer:

  "both the router and the modem plug into the cable so they aren't directly connected" Something about this doesn't make any sense. The modem and router aren't connected to each other? Then how does anything connected to the router get internet access? The cable modem need to be power cycled whenever you plug a different device into it. So if its plugged into some other device that you unplug so that you can then plug your desktop in, power cycle it after doing so.