So, I take it you guys have run into something like this before. My internet is slowing ( I swear ). on my nice desktop and I run right next to me my laptop for work. I've been fucking around with settings and the startup trying to get shit to run faster, but I can't seem to isolate one thing. Before I start spinning my wheels though trying to change everything, was wondering where you might put the priority of things to try and fix:

1. I read if you run two computers right next to eachother, they are essentially sharing the same connection to my WiFi and thus slowing my connection- so I tried shutting off my wireless on the laptop while i killz shit.

2. My desktop sometimes runs uber fast OR my laptop runs uber fast , but it seems to be touch and go, my laptop seems though always fast- could my NIC card be enough of a factor that I need a new one, or is pretty much any NIC card the same?

3. Internet- this is my guess, but my roommate, who has all the bills has this Ygnition company and I can't change it and I just dont trust anyone but the major internet companies, should I maybe move to the verizon type wireless internet via the phone network instead? I miss Cox Communications.

4. Could a hidden program slow down shit that much? IE: should I focus on debugging this thing? I got massive RAM still and it runs non internet programs fine, lots of them, at the same time.

5. Im running VISTA.

Where would you start?