Welcome to the forums fleng
Check your firewall for firefox being slow to load cpanel
this has proved to be the problem for others.
I only use firefox for cpanel and it loads fast
also try https://your-tch-site:2083 for scure access to your cpanel.
You should have an icon and link to the Scripts Library,
if you do not, please open a help ticket.
however you will not find WP in there, you will have to install it yourself.
see the help site for help in installing..
You can use your cpanel file manager
goto the public_html folder (click on the folder icon)
select create file
on the right type in .htaccess
then select the file by clicking on the name
on the right select edit
paste the text inside and use the save button at the bottom.
You may find in file manager that you can see an .htaccess file there already
if so the just edit the file.
Did you
1 - backup your database (cpanel > backup > download database )
2 - backup your forum config.php file
3 - change to sub silver theme
4 - upload the changes files
5 - run your-tchdomain/forumfolder/install/update_to_latest.php
When your pages all have the same menu at the top of the page
there is no need to open each link in a new window.
After clicking 4 links I find four browser windows open
and all with the same menu at the top
very annoying and confusing to me.
Just my opinion.
I understand linking to other sites in a new window,
but some of your own pages open in new windows
which is not good.
And the new windows have the same menu at the top
so a new window is not needed.
I have not seen the "new" target
from w3.org
However most of your visitors will not like pages on your site opening in a new window.
After clicking several links, I will have serverl browsers windows open.
You can use
include $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/myconnections.php'";
or if in a folder inside public_html
include $_SERVER['DOCUMENT_ROOT']."/folder/myconnections.php'";