Need to click twice on links?

Most of the time when I click on a link, the little icon in the upper right starts to move like the web page is being accessed. But I wait and wait, sometimes for minutes. So I started clicking twice on the link, and in most cases this will bring the page up. I deleted all temporary internet files and cookies, but this did not help.

I have:
Hardware: Compaq Presario, Celeron 600, 256 MB RAM, 15 GB HD
Software: Windows 98, IE version 6 with SP1
ISP: Juno dial-up

Thanks, Walter