for some reason whenever i plug anything into one of my usb ports and then run it in sum way (i.e. transfere data) it disconnects my internet! it does it for my ipod, my samsung mobile, and worst of all my newly bought canon printer which runs through a usb port. can any1 help? id love to b able to print out webpages without having to reconnect everytime i wanna move from page to page

You may have a clash between the interrupts used for the USB device and the network adapter.

Check your Event viewer: rt. click My Computer then click Manage then Event Viewer.
Or: Administrative Tools/Event Viewer or Start/Run/ eventvwr
Open the system as well as the application tabs & look for X errors. Click error line for details.
Post back the source & event id & Description especially of errors that seem to coincide with this issue.
Also check the Information lines that might coincide with this issue.

How to view and manage event logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP

Also view your Error Log via:
[1] Start Menu
[2] Help and Support
[3] Pick a Task
[4] Tools
[5] Advanced System Information
[6] View the Error Log

'The server {DC0C2640-1415-4644-875C-6F4D7 69839BA} did not register with DCOM within the required timeout.' that was in my error log in the help and support centre. it is the same everytime i use my usb port. there didnt seem to be in errors in the administrive tools/event viewer

Using Regedit, start/run regedit navigate to the following registry value
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\CLSID\{DC0C2640-1415-4644-875C-6F4D7 69839BA}\localserver32
The CLSID value is the information displayed in the message.
In the right pane, double-click Default. The Edit String dialog box is displayed. Leave this dialog box open.
Click Start, and then click My Computer.
Using the information displayed in the Value data box of the Edit String dialog box, navigate to the program.
Right-click the program name, and then click Properties.
The Properties dialog box for the program is displayed.
To determine who the vendor is for this program, refer to the Version tab.

and then what? i have done all that but i cant see how that could help

Just trying to ID the program that is faulting.

What program is using {DC0C2640-1415-4644-875C-6F4D7 69839BA}?

it itunes... but if thats the problem y does it stop me printing and uploading from my phone. and i can run itunes without the internet disconnecting. but if i connect my ipod it screws up

Is this a new problem? Were things working OK previously? Any new hardware and or software?

Check your Device Manager: Start/Run/ devmgmt.msc

Look under Network Adapter as well as USB controllers. Click the (+). Any yellow "!"

Also anything listed under "Other Devices"?

no i have always had this problem. i just put up with it when it was my phone and ipod. but i since i got the printer and it continued to do it i thought i would c if there was a solution.
there r a few yellow '!'. other devices/ mass storage device. there r 2 of those mass storage devices, and my com port 3 has an '!' on it as well

Other Devices is a category for hardware that XP is not recognising. 2 mass storage devices?

You can right click on them and get the Properties. Could be iPod and or phone.

After you ID the device you could try to Update Driver.

Do the same with the com port 3.