I think you should take your time if you really want to be good at what you're doing. Just because someone says that the box is useless doesnt mean you should stop praciticing it. I think you should practice your boxes and when you're good enough, you can progress from box playing to all over the fretboard. I learned by memorizing the 5 forms of the pentatonic scale in boxes. When I got it, it was much easier for me to play all across the fretboard.

As of modes, think of them as a displaced scale. For instance, what would happen if you took all the notes from c major w/ no sharps or flats but instead of starting and ending on c, you started with d and ended with d? since there are 7 notes, there are 7 modes.

Ionian- the major scale
Dorian- when you play a major scale starting on the second note and ending on the same second note one octave higher.
Phrygian- same concept except you start on the third note and end in the same third note one octave higher.
Lydian- same concept except you start on the fourth note
Mixolydian- start on fifth note
Aeolian- start on sixth note
Locrian- start on seventh note

I personally don't get too obsessed with scales- particularly the modes because you'll never use all of them anyways. If you ask me, just learn your major scales, minor scales, your pentatonic scales and you're pretty much set.

When I play solo, I don't rely too much on scales. I rely more on the sounds on my head. Don't you think its much neater if you can play the sounds comming from your head (ie. transcribe the music in your head to your hands accurately) than relying on scales. You develop your vigilance in hearing and the way you analyze music more I think. In my opinion, I think scales and modes are only meant as guidelines. Music shouldn't be totally based on them. Good luck learning them anyways.