Hi Ron
I assume that you're using Outlook Express to read your e-mails. It's one of Microsoft's better programs but it's not without its faults. One of the well known ones is that it refuses to recognise any browser, other than Internet Explorer, as the default browser. So, if you've installed Firefox (or any other non-Microsoft browser) as your default browser it just says to itself "I don't know what browser to use, so I can't open this link".
The instructions, here, tell you how to instruct Outlook Express that it should open links in Internet Explorer but nobody seems to know how to persuade it to open Firefox (or any other browser):
http://www.activewin.com/tips/ie/ie5/oe/oe_1.s html
An alternative strategy would be to switch to a better e-mail client, such as Thunderbird. It's one of those things I keep meaning to get round to myself! ;-)
http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/thunderbird/
(Thunderbird should have no difficulties opening links in whatever default browser you choose).
Even if you don't normally use Internet Explorer, your PC's default settings, regarding connecting to websites, are controlled from within it. If you're on broadband, but keep finding that your PC wants to make a dial-up connection, you should open Internet Explorer and do this:
Click Tools > Internet Options
Select the 'Connections' tab.
Click to place a dot alongside 'Never dial a connection'
Click 'Apply', then 'OK'.
Chris