Belkin N1 router and G 125 card are trying to kill me!

Help, Im tired.
I just dont understand networking I guess, and I know I dont get WLAN configuration. Im just trying not to mess stuff up now.
I run Time Warner high speed through a motorola (I think) C cable modem to a Belkin N1 router. From that I have one Com hard wired and two running wireless w/ G 125 High Speed belkin cards. This is the second router, I took one back to the store but later found my cable co. was having problems and it probably wasnt the routers fault. ( I kept getting booted) But when I HAD internet with that router My two wireless Coms were getting a steady 54Mbps DL speed, now I start at 54 and within maybe a minute or so am slowing sometimes all the way to 5.5Mbps. I get "very good" and "excellent" readings on my signal icons constantly. And when I ping I am usually under 90ms. But i suspect latency because more than sometimes not all packets make it. My hard wired Com is still showing 100.0Mbps so I sure its the router.
This would be fine with me if i were just looking up info on yahoo or something but I spend alot of time Bit Torrenting and I play alot of Real Money Poker, Both of which pretty much rely on a CONSTANT connection and I cant afford to have hands folded because when I push the button to bet or call..... sometimes it takes 20 or 30 seconds before anything happens. or I loose the connection to the site all together for 10 or 20 seconds.
Im sorry to sound flustered but Ive been working on this for 10 or 15 days now and I sometimes go so far as to mess up the connection that I have and then spend hours just trying to figure out what I messed up.
If anyone could help me I would very much and greatly appreciate the advice here.
By the way I run winXP home on one wireless and Win XP pro on the other.
Thanks very much in advance

Let me check my understanding here; you have three machines, two wireless and one wired to the Belkin. And the wired one always works fine - it's the wireless connected machines that suffer the performance degradation. Is that right?
If it is, then we need to look into what the problem is with your wireless connection - the link to your ISP must be okay

Yes, and they worked fine before I got the new router (same model except ver.2000 instead of 1000). if it was just one wireless computer I would suspect a card but its both wireless Coms and they sit side by side.
Heres a before and after example, maybe it will help.

Before: When I went to download news videos (2 - 3 Mb), I could click, rename, save.... and before I could click, rename, and save another, that one would be finished downloading (about 5 - 7 sec.)

Now: now for the same download it takes anywhere from 45 sec to 3 or 4 min. and I can see the "blue progress bar" stopping and starting and stopping again. it sometimes even times out.

This is a ping as I type this (Im in south Al about 40 miles outside of Fl. ....very close to Dothan Al.)

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>ping www.firewall.cx

Pinging firewall.cx [204.157.10.72] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=90ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=105ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Request timed out.

Ping statistics for 204.157.10.72:
Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 2, Lost = 2 (50% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 90ms, Maximum = 105ms, Average = 97ms

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>

Heres a 100 ping, if it helps. This is greek to me, I just know I shouldnt be losing packets.

Thanks for the help.

Microsoft Windows XP [Version 5.1.2600]
(C) Copyright 1985-2001 Microsoft Corp.

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>ping -n 100 www.firewall.cx

Pinging firewall.cx [204.157.10.72] with 32 bytes of data:

Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=136ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=151ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=131ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=454ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=304ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=336ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=270ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=273ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=401ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=120ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=92ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=90ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=103ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=227ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=186ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=99ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=173ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=102ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=317ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=340ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=91ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=433ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=422ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=115ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=106ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=206ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=104ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=419ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=467ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=457ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=92ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=508ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=320ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=614ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=225ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=179ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=113ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=473ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=467ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=387ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=106ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=450ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=405ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=341ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=373ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=346ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=266ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=184ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=288ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=152ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=348ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=388ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=460ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=310ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=274ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=321ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=295ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=203ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=270ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=191ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=137ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=168ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=812ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=100ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=172ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=140ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=428ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=448ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=105ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=154ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=158ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=105ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=166ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=105ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=209ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=135ms TTL=45
Request timed out.
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=570ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=101ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=567ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=538ms TTL=45
Reply from 204.157.10.72: bytes=32 time=108ms TTL=45

Ping statistics for 204.157.10.72:
Packets: Sent = 100, Received = 81, Lost = 19 (19% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
Minimum = 90ms, Maximum = 812ms, Average = 270ms

C:\Documents and Settings\Owner>

I tried to disable/re enable the connect before I did this one. this sometimes gives me my 54Mbps for a minute or so, but I noted that as this was running my DL speed dropped to 1.0Mbps. Thats the lowest Ive ever seen it
but my signal strenth is still full bars or "Excellent" as the icon says.
Do you think its the way the router is configured?

Thanks for the help

Its Fixed!
Im not sure what I did but I figured I'd come back and post incase someone else needed the info or understood it all better than me.
(if someone can explain all this Id love to hear it)

Well, I first thought about the fact that the versions on the routers were different (not sure if that matters, or if any of this matters) so I loaded the setup disk, which Belkin swore to me didnt need to be run with the new router because the drivers blah blah blah were already in the Com. well just like the last setup CD i got nothing so I went to the site and downloaded the setup.exe and loaded it. All was different than last time I did this (took longer, seemed to be actually doing stuff) then it asked for my ISP account info. I put it in and it said it was wrong.....again.....wrong. So I called Time Warner and was informed that I didnt need to put in my Info, that they use DHCP server something or other and to check that box. But that box/option wasnt there. Then My phone went dead and Im staring at a computer with two other computers all waiting for internet. Well I remembered from just looking through the stuff before that the Dynamic Ip box was checked last time. So I checked it and whoa an behold....Internet. So I go back and check the wireless Comsand , Though the speed had improved a tiny bit it still was taking forever to download a simple 1.7 Mb program. so I go back to the hard wired com and just out of curiosity, I ping firewall.cx and see blazing results from the Com with absolutley no losses (very impressive, wish I was hard wired) so then Im a little ticked off and bring up the Belkin site as I have done so many times before just to change........something.........and see if it helps. Well I did notice that the channel was set for auto and I remember it wasnt with the last router. so I set it for 7 and instead of going straight to the wireless Com I also noted that the wireless mode was set for g+b+........something, I dont remeber. But I changed that myself sometime before trying to get it to work better. so I decided to set it for 11g and then noticed that my modem wasnt geting internet. I unplugged the router and then the modem and waited a few seconds and then plugged the modem back in. I waited about 90 sec for all the lights to come on and comfirmation of internet and then plugged in my router. after it reset and was all lit up I went back to the wireless Com and BOOMBA! 54mbps!
I checked to make sure it wasnt a fluke like somany times before and brought up Yahoo with a snap* and then went to firewall.cx also with a snap*. so I brought up a news video download of about 2mb and clicked it to bring up windows mediea player and it went through the process and started playing almost immediately.
and Right now, 20 min. later, Im still showing 54Mbps DL speed.

Thanks for all the help Ill check back to see if anyone has explained all of this for future refrence.

This Belkin N1 Router is alot of trouble but Im 250ft from the router (Im in one building and its in another) and I have full signal and now full DL speed and these are my new ping numbers, Impressive (these numbers are all most as good as the hard wire Com running 100.0Mbps)...............

O....K.....
Well for some reason I cant seem to paste my new numbers but
Im getting average numbers in the mid 90s ms. and between 0 and 3 percent loss
Much better!