well, I would check out all your network settings then
remove anythings thats not needed,
manualy set your ip if you can
also, think on that webpage i posted early there is also a setting where your homepage gets synchronized on start up
which you can disable which helps in boot time as well
if you still have problems please provide the following
network connection?
you got broadband? are you connected directly to cable or are you on a home netework with alot of other systems on it
your system only have one network card?
have you checked IRQ conflicts with the network card?
what networking protocalls are you running?
tcip
vpn
???