I just figured the problem out. For some reason, when I upgraded to 9.0, the settings in tools/options were changed in the section about How Firefox Connects To The Internet. I found it to be reset to: "use system proxy settings" when I had previously had it set to "no proxy settings". Once I changed back, the speed came back up on the browser and everything checks out fine now. Just in case you guys see that happen, then check out that particular setting.

In my situation, I am just connecting to Sprint Broadband with a data card and don't have any routers or home network to worry about except that which Windows 7 sets up when I upgrade Sprint software from time to time. So it seems that maybe Firefox 9.0 was just resetting to that particular setting from my computer, although it did not function well that way. Hope this might help someone else!