Slow download speeds from router but cable modem strength is "good"?

Question

A few days ago my computer, running Vista, and my brothers computer, running XP, both started experiencing loss of internet for a few seconds at a time and very slow download speeds (usually ~500kb/s depending on site, now ~12-15 kb/s).

I have done everything I know. I have power cycled, checked if the computers have viruses, turned on WEP / Mac Filtering (although we are both wired into the router), and called technical services who told me that the cable modems strength seemed very good, so aparently the problem lies between going from the router to the computer, or the computers themselves. Anyone have a clue what could be wrong?

Answer 1

Amazing, normally humans blame each other, but you feel the problem lies with yourselves.

Dude, the Internet is used by so many people.

There is a lot of difference between 10 million people accessing  the net and just 10 people accessing the net.

The former will slow the net for everyone, the latter case is like heaven as the speed will be relatively high.

Answer 2

Are you or your brother running any P2P programs (limewire, napster, torrents of any sort)? If you connect your PC straight to the cable modem do the speeds increase?