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Windows XP, Norton, Spybot, Microsoft Beta SpyWare, home built PC: AMD XP2600+, 1.91 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, 72.2 GB, most files on D:, minimal files on C:

About 1.5 weeks ago I unplugged my DW6000 modem.  It was unplugged for 3 - 4 days.  I plugged it back in and have been experiencing intermittent periods of no connectivity and cannot get any faster tests than about 850Kbps, and the I lose my connectivity, and then it comes back slow, maybe it comes back.  I have unplugged the modem multiple times, reset the modem, unscrewed the coax, touched the coax wire, and called DirecWay help multiple times.  Thye have reregistered my modem, repointed it, etc.  They pushed me up a level and the guy had me do disk cleanup, uncheck a lot of items from my startup menu using msconfig, etc.  The advanced guy says the next thing to do is to uninstall my network card driver/software, turn the PC off, unplug the network card, power up the PC, turn the PC off, reinstall the network card, turn the PC on, reinstall the network card, and my problem should go away.  What do you think? Will this work?  The DirecWay guy seems to think my network driver is corrupted.

I am on my laptop now that I have not used in months and it is about as slow as the desktop.  I have had DirecWay for about 20 months now with minimal problems and usually have speed test results in the range of 1,048 Kbps.

Do any of you have suggestions as to what to do to get my regular connectivity and speeds back?
Is the network card R&R a logical next step?
Is there another alternative to DirecWay for me?  We do not have a land-line telephone service and only have cell phones.  We do not have a electric utility as we are "off-grid".  We do not have cable TV either.  This is all thanks to the local Indian Pueblo that will not allow the local utility companies to do anything more across the easement besides maintain existing power, etc., which goes to the subdivision about 1 mile south of us.  My neighbors have "2-way" radio Internet but I am not impressed with it as they only get about 450Kbps.

Thanks for the suggestions.

amkazen