I think that rate applies because I also get my cable TV from the same company. If I were to get just the internet service, I think the price goes up to $50.
You have a Mac, right? It should have built-in ethernet for connection to the cable modem. I use an ethernet router connected to the cable modem so I can split the connection across multiple machines, then I connect that to the network card in the PCs. I also have a wireless hub connected to the router for my fiance's laptop and the PC I use in my home theater on the other side of my apartment.
At some point I'll probably ditch the ethernet router, get a wireless one, and put wireless adapters in all my PCs. Wireless has finally reached respectable speeds (108mbps for the high-end stuff), and the equipment isn't terribly expensive.