re-occurring problem browsing the web and downloading video files using torrents

I am having a re-occurring problem using Vista, browsing the web and downloading video files using torrents. After a few days, sometimes less, FireFox hangs. It can no longer reload existing web pages or new pages. When I exit FF, the process is hung, so I can’t shutdown or restart Vista. I must power cycle my PC. Sometimes when FF is hung, Opera or IE is working fine, other times, one or the other is hung also. Thunderbird, my e-mail client may also become affected. While FF is hung, I still have internet and network access. I can ping web sites or IP addresses. I’m still connected to my local network.

If I download video files using torrent clients – utorrent or Vuse, the problem will occur sooner. When that happens, the torrent downloads stop also.

Once I power cycle my PC, things will work normally for part of the day to several days.

I have Zone Alarm Pro 8.0.59.000 (turned off), Windows firewall turned on. Using Symantec Anti-Virus 10.2.

I unchecked TCP/IP v6 for my network adapter (Atheros AR8121/8113/8114 PCI-E Ethernet controller NIC) and installed the latest driver for it. I have installed the latest java version.

how to fix the problem by making Vista less aggressive on the network – I did this:

[FONT=&quot]C:\Windows\system32>netsh interface tcp set global rss=disabled autotuninglevel=disabled[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
I power cycled my DSL router once when FF was hung, but that had no effect.

My PC is Intel Quad Core Q9450 with Vista Ultimate 32-bit SP1. My DSL router is Linksys WRT54G and I’m using a wired connection – 100 Mbps. I am using a Bell Sympatico DSL modem (2701HG-G)– 10 Mbps.

I also have a new Dell 1525 laptop with Windows Vista 32-bit Home Premium. I think I have seen the same problems on this computer also.

I have read that Vista networking doesn’t work will with audio/video internet streaming, which is what downloading torrents is doing. My previous PC was running Windows 2000, and my work PC is running XP – both worked fine with browsers or torrents. I’ve only had problems since I’m using my new PCs with Windows Vista. I am getting pretty fed up with Vista. I’m hoping there is a solution to this problem.