Software Speed Boost?

Is there really any software I can download to improve my LAN connection. I'm using a cable modem and my bandwidth is constantly being chewed up. Day or night downloads are slow. Can someone help me... I'm paying $40 a month for this and it's basically worthless to me. I get the full 1 megabit per second... but there are like 40 users on my LAN.

[K A Hall]

I am a little confused on this so clear it up for me. It sounds like you can actually see 40 other cable subscribers in you Network Nieghborhood/places. Is that what you mean by 40 users on your LAN?
Meanwhile there are some cable tweaks and you can get them here.

[Floppyman]

This site may help you as well:

http://www.speedguide.net/

i can't actually see the subscribers... but if you know how cable works, it splits bandwidth, instead of giving you a dedicated share.

[K A Hall]

I see. I do know how cable works since I have it also. I was just curious how you knew how many were on your segment. I have no idea how many are on mine.
I don't know who your service is with, but I don't experience what you are with @home. You might try the discussions over at http://www.dslreports.com. Lots of discussions on cable providers over there and the problems with them.

[morriswindgate]

Call Your cable company and report it. If your experience was like mine, when I signed - up they sent out 3 installers, and one of them ask me if I knew a lot about computers. When I said yes, they handed me all the install materials. After they left the connection would slow and quit. The problem turned out to be traps they had installed on the branch circuit.