To be honest that seems like the best solution. I can either send it back to the repair techs for free and wait the two weeks it took them last time to do a 10min job, or I can pay and get an instant solution. 'Cause at present I really can't afford to be without my laptop.

Suddenly, my computer loses the ability to click links or functions of the browser (Firefox). It took me forever to get here.

I feel like its a virus or something like that. It could be a processor issue, but it happened so suddenly that it makes me concerned. Any help?

EDIT: Whats even more odd is that when the screen "locks up"* if I alt-tab to another screen then immediately jump back I have free range - it works as normal. But if you're on the page for a few seconds, nothing works again.

*its almost as if it glosses over the page. Like you're looking at a PDF. I can mouse-wheel up and down but thats it. Refreshing the page occasionally works, but otherwise nothing.

This may sound like a dumb question, but have you tried restarting it?

Also, what OS are you using?

Not dumb at all. Actually I just did restart and things seem to be functioning much better now.

XP home by the way.

Edit:

While I'm in here, I'm thinking of buying a new computer, (Since this is an '02 Dell). I sorta want a Dual-Core Processor, a half decent graphics card, and I need MS Publisher for work. What do you think something like that would run me? (I'd like a terrabite of storage but I'll take what I can get).

I don't know if anyone can help me with this minor problem but my laptop is barely two months old and the back light key and the eco system key aren't working. When I try to turn off the back light, it goes dim but then lights back up again. It's so weird because I barely ever use the back light key. I turned it on last night and now I haven't been able to turn it off now. I went to the toshiba support site to look around and see if I could get help with it but I don't know. I want them to fix this. I'm pretty sure I'm still under the limited warranty.

I have been having an annoying problem with my internet. I frequently get bad latency. I usually have just done the windows connection troubleshooter then it is fine for a while, but it happens so often that I need to just fix it permanently. Here is a log from said troubleshooter:

What's your signal strength look like? Wireless access points have what you can call "gears"... If you're close and your signal strength is excellent, the AP is going to be communicating at full capacity and you'll get a lot of throughput. Further away, it has to drop some of the compression algorithms and operate at slower speeds because the quality of the RF connection to your computer's wireless card can't support it.

If you're at full signal strength and still having this problem, then that's probably not the issue.

Also, I noticed that your access point has no authentication and is unsecured. Could it be possible that your neighbors are all leeching off your internet? If so, they could definitely be sucking down your bandwidth. You can check this by logging into your wireless router and checking to see who's connected to it. Connected client lists are standard in wireless APs, so you shouldn't have any issues determining such. If this is the case, you'll want to enable security on your AP, using anything but WEP, which is easily cracked. WPA2 with TKIP is fine.

If this isn't your issue, we can explore something else, like updating your wireless card's driver, etc.., but typically those two scenarios are the most common.

it's probably my signal strength. it's been at 2/5 bars for as long as I can remember. should I make a foil range booster thingy?

Foil range booster? I wouldn't go about arbitrarily adding length to the antenna(s). They're precisely cut at a specific length to account for the length (or a portion of it) of a 2.4ghz radio wave in its optimal phase. If it's not at that length or a multiple of it, you'll won't be doing yourself any favors. A better idea is to actually position the antenna(s) on the AP so that the RF propagation pattern extends more towards you. If your access point is on the same floor as you, you'll want the antenna(s) sticking straight up, vertically, as the RF propagates horizontally outward sorta like a donut. If the antennas are laying horizontally, all you're doing is wasting DB giving the roof a really good internet connection. But if you were upstairs, this is obviously a better idea.
If you're both on ground level, you should be aware that RF hates ground, and is physically repelled by it. Try putting the AP high up on a shelf or something and see if there's any difference.

So are you sure there isn't anyone leeching off your internet? Or are you the one leeching? hehe.. if it's the latter, then I'm afraid there isn't much you can do, since it's likely that a lot of other people are doing the same thing and the problem is simply one of limited bandwidth. Short of going over to that person's house and requesting that they purchase faster internet, there's little you can do.

I was thinking more along the lines of This. it's not adding length.

I will try to aim my antennae towards my computer now though. they should be aimed at a 90% angle towards my computer?

no leeching is occurring. I have checked it at random times when my latency went to crap.

edit: re-positioning my antennae boosted it to 3/5 bars.