Why is my internet so slow?

[tumbleweed_biff]

I am assuming you have cable? Cable providers run fiber to a certain point and then install some sort of hub (I forget what it is called or if it is a router). This device provides a certain amount of bandwidth to all of the places nearby. There is enough bandwidth coming in on the fiber to provide all you can use as long as you are the only one using it. However, during peak hours, all of those places connected to that "hub" share the total bandwidth available and that amount is exceeded, causing things to slow down.

You do not have this problem with DSL, however, DSL can go nowhere near as fast as cable. With AT&T Uverse your TV signal actually takes up a part of your bandwidth so the number of people watching TV affects your available bandwidth.