Help! Explorer doesn't load after PC is d/c'd from the router!

[21Jumper]

I was having problems before streaming video through the net using my SMC Barricade 7004BR. I never got that resolved so last night, I d/c'd the router from the modem and connected it(modem) directly to the NIC on my computer. Everything was fine. I was still able to get online and stream the video fine. Today, however, when I turned on the PC, it would just load my wallpaper and it would stay there and when i ctrl+alt+delete, the only item in the close program window is "Explorer(not responding). So I turned off the PC, connected it to the router again and it booted up fine.

Is there any way to avoid this? I'm using WinME with PIII 500mhz, 384MB RAM.

Thanks.

 

[21Jumper]

bump. I didn't turn off the PC last night just to be safe.