Problems getting Static IP

[Jason_HDD]

Alright everyone, I have Windstream phone and Internet, 6Mbps down/ 768Kbps up. Dell precision T3400, & XP. WS issued me a ZHONE modem. We also have a NETGEAR ProSafe VPN Firewall FVS318.
OK, my wife works from home, but has to have a static IP to do so. But WS is having a problem getting it to us. So in trying to get this working, a guy from WS told me he needs the MAC address from our NETGEAR. I gave him the internet and local MAC's. He said that they're invalid. I don't know how but when the routers plugged in & connected he's saying they don't see the correct address. While on the phone he said he was seeing the MAC(the wrong one) but the router wasn't even plugged in & I told him so.
He didn't know why.
I called NETGEAR and explained the situation, and they told me there was no reason my ISP really needed the MAC. He told me I needed to put the modem in bridge mode, then I needed to get the IP, subnet mask, and gateway and enter them in the router and that should solve it. I got the IP from WS but when I asked for the gateway, I was told I'm connected via IPDSLAM and there was no gateway. I know I have to connect to their router one way or the other.
Also while on the phone w/ WS the guy got me to enter the MAC that he had in his comp. I did, but it still wasn't seeing the right one.
I'm not sure how to get the modem into bridge mode, and/or if it's what I need to do. My wifes IT guy will fly from TX to NC to get this all going if he has to, but I want to avoid that if I can. I'm new to DSL, and not sure what I need to be doing. The guy from WS isn't familiar with ZHONE's.
ANY and ALL suggestions are welcomed. Thanks in advance if you can help, I'd greatly appreciate it!!!

[johnwill]

The MAC address of the Netgear should be displayed on the WAN status page.

As far as bridge modem for that modem, we need the exact model of the unit.