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AOL, like many Internet Service Providers don't offer "support" as in advice on how to do networking router wireless stuff. It's a limitation of what their staff can cope with in enabling basic broadband connection setup and troubleshooting.
It's been a long time since I've been anywhere near AOL. Do they allow connection of more than one computer simultaneously?
In theory any standard cable compatible wireless router should work. However this might well be messed up if the AOL broadband expects any form of login when connecting. I'm not sure many cable routers have the capability for that.
When you are ready to connect the router, start with a wired setup. Once that is working then you can add wireless. Make sure the modem, router and wire connected PC are all powered off as you setup the ethernet: modem <ethernet> router WAN (internet port), router LAN (network port) <ethernet> Computer. Then power on modem and let settle, power router let settle and lastly the computer.
What cable did you loose? If it's just an ethernet lead then these are easily replaced at low cost from any computer shop. A lot cheaper than a new router.