Microsoft Windows XP uses a variety of registry settings to control how fast data is passed to and from network interfaces, so tweaking these settings to more accurately reflect the capabilities of your connection is a good idea.
So, if you have a broadband internet connection, chances are there's a few things you could do to optimize its speed.
The TCP Optimizer is such a free, easy Windows program that provides an intuitive interface for tuning and optimizing your Internet connection. You can find more details and download it at the following location
http://www.speedguide.net/downloads.php