Thanks for getting back to me LOTR.

I have Windows XP Pro with SP 2. I have 1Gb of Kingston Hardcore RAM, Gigabyte motherboard, Something like 3Gb free space on primary HD and 77GB on secondary. I use Norton Internet Security 2003 for my personal firewall.

My mate has slightly weaker specs than me but easily capable and we have both been able to use it before and our specs haven't changed. He just uses the modem firewall.

Our modem is a Zoom ADSL, gateway, router & firewall all in one (model 5551) and we have a Belkin Hub (unsure of hub). Our phone line is through BT and our ISP is Biscuit. The ISP is relatively new but we have been connected since changing to them. We run from home so we aren't behind any school networks on a 1mb adsl line.

The two possibilities have to be the modem or the ISP/BT Line. BT have a habit of messing things up so perhaps its them.

Have I left anything out which you think is important?