Safari slow or just not opening pages

Question

Hey all,
Am really annoyed with this. The other day everything was working fine, then all of a sudden it started taking ages (like a few mins) to load a web page. If it didn't load the page (or timed out, I'd imagine), I'd get a message saying no internet connection. Now I've looked at other threads and followed a few suggestions but to no avail.
So, I'll list what I've done and what exactly my problem is.
Problem: Cannot connect to any website. Regularly recieve the no internet connection message.
What I've done: Set up a new use account to check if system wide or just on user. Result - Its system wide.
Used network Diagnostics many many times. Sometimes it would say connection is ok only for Safari to spend about 5 mins trying to open a page. When I would finally get a page open, another 5 mins to do whatever.
Used the terminal to clear the dns thing.
Set up new locations, deleting all others after that didn't work and still no joy.
Changed the name of my previously hidden wireless network, made it visable with no password (I hate Wireless was what I called it if your interested).
I know my internet connection works as I'm typing this message on the pc which is next to the broadband wall socket going through a wireless router.
So, I'm trying to connect to my wireless network via airport. ISP is Virgin Media and wirless router is linksys wrk54g 1.1.
Please help...

Answer 1

I don't keep many windows open or multiple applications running at the same time. My usage has not appreciably changed, but there is major slowdown from the usual speed and normal actions I typically experience and only in Safari. Even the Finder is freezing for extended periods.
I seldom experience problems typically described in the various forums, but the way Safari has been acting over the last few days caused me to look and see if this was unique to me or more widespread. I'm sensing it may related to the upcoming OS release or future 10.4 update.
As content as I have been with various Apple platforms since 1985, I'm hoping it is simple situation. I had been planning on acquiring a Mac Book Pro in the next 2 or 3 weeks, but this has given me cause to pause.
Yes, there are other browsers, but if Apple's flagship browser can't run properly on a Mac platform, then what are the other Apple applications similar to Safari doing if they are eating up memory while the application is idle. That seems to run against the grain of the OS X concept with memory management.