Wireless network disconnects when watching YouTube/Netflix/other streaming videos

I've had this problem the last few weeks. Basically, when I boot up my computer (an old Dell laptop with windows 7 x64), it will connect to the wireless network just fine, no issue. I can browse no problem as well, but once I start watching YouTube or Netflix or any other streaming video that demands the network card be in constant use, after about 10-15 minutes, the network will cut out and disappear entirely from the list of available networks. Trying to connect to another nearby open network will fail, but I'll still have networks in the list for another few minutes, then eventually they'll disappear too and, even though my network card shows it is enabled, it will not detect any available networks until I restart my computer.

I've restarted it immediately, and also given it a few days before restarting with the same effect, as soon as the computer restarts the network immediately connects again as though there were no issue. Like I said I can casually browse for days with no issue as long as I don't do anything that requires the constant use of the network card. If the video can load completely in less than 10 minutes or so (you know how YouTube doesn't buffer the entire video at once anymore) then it's usually fine, but if the video is longer than 10-15 minutes then it's gonna have problems.

I've tried updating my NIC drivers but they're already up to date, I've tried disabling and re-enabling the NIC after it's disconnected, but nothing seems to work. Has anyone experienced this or can anyone give me any suggestions on what I might be able to try to get this to stop? I don't have another wireless card I can use, nor do I have money to buy another one, and this started happening out of the blue one day without my changing anything with the computer.

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