>>i tried it without the router. much faster without the router when compared to with the router.
>>
>>not sure what to try next. i want to use the router as it is useful as a firewall and also b/c i use voip, which of course requires the router.
>>
>>does anyone have any other suggestions (other than to buy another router)? i've restarted the router and that didn't change anything. could there be a setting in my router that would cause the symptoms described in my first thread?
>
>It's a really good idea to keep a hardware router between your machine and the Internet, even if you have a software firewall. So it's worth trying to fix the router issue.
>
>There are a couple of things you could try:
>
>- Go to dslreports, search the forums there for posts related to your router. If you're having a problem, chances are lots of other people have had it as well, and have found the solution.
>
>- If you can't find what you need, post a message for help.
>
>The suggestions above will be helpful if the router firmware is OK but you've got misconfigured setting(s).
>
>Another separate step you could take either before or after the above is, as Craig suggested, look for a firmware update from the router vendor. Before installing any that you find, be sure to search the forums for reviews of it - depending on the router vendor, some firmware updates have been buggy and have caused more problems than they've solved.

Solid advice Al!

It pays to first think out a problem and then approach it step by step. Doing a bit of homework can save many hours of headaches! :)

Tom