install extensions

Hi can anyone help please I seem to be going around in circles. I have uploaded joomla 1.5.23 I have a problem with the web services and I read that someone just upgraded to the latest joomla and this all clicked into place.

I have now tried to install the akeea backup and joomla 1.7 but neither are able to be uploaded the message i get is in firefox "the connect was reset" so I tried in safari and again unable to install.

Please tell me where I am going wrong