I have 7.10 installed and running fine.
the /etc/network/interfaces files shows following:

auto lo
iface lo inet loopback

iface wlan0 inet static
wireless-essid xxxxx
address 192.168.0.5
netmask 255.255.255.0
gateway 192.168.0.1
wireless-key xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
auto wlan0

iface eth0 inet dhcp
auto eth0

The internet connection works fine with wlan0 and eth0
However, when downloading a file it times out after about 6 MB
and about 6 minutes after surfing on the net.

It takes a shutdown to activate the system again and to get back on the net.

As a newbie i have tried a lot of stuff using network manager and network tools.
Nothing seems to work.
can i find some help out there please???

WHY does it time out? it doesn't do that when i try it with 'windows'.
I do want to give up windows but a couple of things like this problem still does not
allow me to go the whole way.......
thank you

I had the same problem when I tried to hook into a hotel internet connection.

Assuming you are using GNOME, you need to:

1. Go to Preferences, then Administration, then click on 'Users and groups.'

2. Go to root user properties.

3. Set the password to something very secure.

4. Apply and close window. Now go to Preferences > Administration > Login Window > Security

5. Enable root login at login window.

6. Log out.

7. Log in as username root and your new root password.

That's all it took for me.

Good luck! Post back here if it does not work.

Thank you for your quick repsonse. Dearly appreciated. I implemented your suggestions and it worked fine until it had downloaded 27 MB of a new open office file. Then it stopped. What happened:
there was no access to wireless at all - security data was eliminated.

The other remark in reference to your help - doctorzongo - your suggestion implies that i have to remain in root for the internet and downloads. It is not something preferred or suggested in all the dos and don'ts of Linux work. Or have i misunderstood??
thanks so much
heinz