Vista - Internet Explorer not opening straight away like it used to?

Thanks for reading this message - I hope you can help. I'm not the most technologically minded so I hope I explain everything okay!

I have a Dell Inspiron 1525 Vista Home Premium laptop (I've had it about 9 months) and just the other day I noticed that when I went to click the IE icon on the quick launch task bar it went to the blue circle thing for a second but then nothing - usually it opens straight away to my homepage. It came up with a message saying it couldn't find my homepage - www.bbc.co.uk

I tried to click the icon a few times and eventually it opened - since then it has always been the same - not opening straight away - taking several clicks to open it.

I've tried opening IE through the other icons available and it is the same. I use Bitcomet to download files and when I try and open a link to Isohunt/Pirate Bay etc. it states that windows cannot find the website - it has never done this before.

I haven't done anything to the laptop and have tried virus and adaware scans and they've come up with nothing - I think I've got IE8 aswell.

Do you have an idea of how I can fix the problem? I am clueless as to what to do - it's not a major problem because it still opens but there's no reason why it should have changed and it's bugging me!

Please does anybody have an idea of how I can fix my problem - I've still no idea how to sort it!

---I also use a laptop---just the other day I also had connection problems---(have you tried to UNPLUG your wireless router for 5-MINUTES?)---replug it in, and all should work as good as new---please post your results---thank you---

peace