802.11b peer to peer not okay after 3 wireless

[melloman]

I have a wireless network set up, using 802.11b in ad hoc mode, and while 2 machines can be communicating fine, when number 3 goes in, I have all sorts of issues.

Unit 1 has a USB wireless antenna on it, and it has XP pro on it, and the connection is bridged to the rest of the network. This unit is what the other 2 (laptops) connect to surf the web and connect to desktops and printers with.
It's a D-Link.

Number 2 is an HP laptop with an actiontec wireless, has worked all the time here and other places, This one is the main one to go strangely when the third one goes on. This one is windows 2000.

Unit3 is a laptop with XP and a MSI wifi card. This unit works flawlessly in any case. However when this one is connected, unit 2 has loads of trouble.

1 and 2 fine 1 and 3 fine , 2 and 3 fine, and 1, 2, and 3 makes 2 run crappy, and while it doesn't stop completely, it's lousy enough to make it hell to surf.

All have DHCP for TCP/IP, and everything works fine UNTIL both 2 and 3 are running. Both get unique IPs as well.

Ideas?