ok on my BT router it says im connected at 7360 kbps but when i download the maximum speed i can get is about 25 - 30 kb/s.

i have 4 computers on my network.

ADSL LINE >> ROUTER >> COMP (downloads at 30kb/s)
ADSL LINE >> ROUTER >> HUB >> 3 COMPS (downloading at 30kb/s)

what could be causing this crap download speed.

i have tired only one comp on at a time and nothing makes a difference to the download speeds.

What sort of download?
Are you with Pipex?

They traffic shape p2p, which limits you to about 20k/sec. Turning on encryption will help if this is the case.

remember that the line you have is 8 mbit, not 8 MB/s, which means that although i have 8 mbit internet the most i can get from a good server with a port 80 download is 1.1 MB/s (VERY good day - usual is 800)

Tried using something like LeechGet?

Whats your SNR (Sound to Noise ratio) reported by your router? If its high then your line isnt stable enough for that speed and is dropping crap everywhere.

Even if you router syncs at that speed, it might not be stable (little known fact apparently). If so it might be worth phoning your ISP and asking if they can put it back into training mode (you might have to get to the second level of tech support for someone to understand that though). Be aware that training mode occurs for the first week of your RADSL (aka ADSL Max) connection, so if this is your first week, ignore it.

I have 8Mbit but I only get 350kbps on a good day. illepall

What says your router dont have to exactly reflect your current speed. For ex. my router says that Im connected at 4096KBit, but my ISP limits my speed to 3072KBit which I have ordered. Router always reports the maximum line speed, but what your ISP allows you to use if a different story. You should try some netspeed meter(I cant give you an excat point, good one is on www.dsl.cz, but Im afraid you cant speak Czech ) to determine your real speed. Also make sure that your internet isnt slowed down by applying some FUP(Fair User Policy), for ex. because of exceeding your data-download size limit.