OK, I have four different Macs getting on the web via an Airport base station, repeated by two Airport Express units, one upstairs and one downstairs. All of the computers except one have zippy speeds on line. The one that doesn't is slow as a dog, and I can't figure out why. It's a PB G4 1.5 MHz, topped out at 1.5 GB of RAM. Even the iBook 933 MHz running on 1.2 GB of RAM is faster. All of the machines are on 10.5.6, by the way. Any ideas?

I should say that the only thing I've done is to repair permissions on the PB--nothing else.

First go to speedtest.net and see if the actual download speeds are different or if it's something with the machine itself.

Speedtest shows the download speed about the same as on the other computers. What could be up with the machine??

Okay. Is it slow for everything? We need to determine if it's hardware or software.

Does it run slow turning Airport off and using an Ethernet cable to connect?

Put the iBook into Target Disk mode and use the iBook drive to boot the slow 1.5 PB. How does it run then?

Also try putting the 1.5 PB into TD mode and use the 1.5 PB drive to boot the iBook or one of the other machines.

Everything else is speedy and normal. The only thing that's strange is up on the menu bar. There's an extra space between the icon for the Airport status and the icon for the battery status. If I click on that extra space, I get the spinning beach ball for a couple of seconds, then some of the menu bar icons (the Airport, battery, and username) disappear and then reset themselves. I just logged into the second account on the PB, and it has the same slowness of internet connection and the same space between the two icons.

By the way, it's the 1.67 not the 1.5 model.

Do all browsers do it too? Look in Library/Internet Plug-ins. Is there a Quicktime.xpt plug-in? If not, remove all the plug-ins anyway and relaunch your browser.

Open Console, All Messages. Does it give any clue as to what happens in the moments after clicking the blank spot? I'd be curious if it has any connection though.So we know it's system level, something in the Library or System folders. Nothing in the Users folder.

Try the Console thing when browsing too. Anything repeating, or is there a lot of activity. Maybe save that part of the log and send it to me. Once in blue moon I can decipher a bit off of them.

I still need you to do the TD mode stuff, or I'll have to come over and do it myself. You're only one state away.

I PMd you about the trip . . . and about the PB. I don't know what did it (maybe it was running TechToolPro and fixing the file structure), but it's working fine now. I did do the TD thing, and when booted from the iBook the surfing speed of the PB was fine, but when I booted the iBook from the PB the surfing speed of the iBook was horrible. It's all good now--magic (and I don't mean the gathering!)

Good old F M.

Sometimes ya' just gotta' beat on 'em for a while. You found the right hammer.