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One possible explanation is radio interference. Try using a different channel, especially if you're on channel 6 which is the default for many routers. Some older cordless phones also operate in the same 2.4 GHz band as routers, or a neighbor's router might interfere as well.
Another possible explanation is that either the router or the wifi card is configured to "time out" after a period of inactivity. Here's one test for that. If you're using windows, go to Start > Run, type "cmd" in the box, then hit Enter. You'll see a window appear into which you can type commands. Type the command "ipconfig /all" and look for the "gateway" address. For most consumer routers, that will be something like "192.168.1.1" or "192.168.0.1". Now type the command "ping 192.168.1.1" (i.e., use the gateway's address); you should see responses that tell you how long it takes to "ping" the router. Let the computer continue to ping the router and leave the computer alone for a while. If the computer remains connected over a period of time when it otherwise would have disconnected, it's likely that either the router or the wifi card is disconnecting when it sees no traffic for an extended period of time.
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