I am running on windows 98ME 64 ram and trying to download some music files. I think I am running on 56k connection - is 3400 B/ps the right download speed and how can I speed things up? Sorry am a total beginner here and floundering a bit. Thanks.
The limiting factor here is going to be your connection to the internet. With dial-up you're not going to be able to improve much on what you are experiencing. To speed things up significantly, you'll have to try a broadband connection. See here for providers in your area.
If you're using a peer-to-peer service to download, you're also constricted by the bandwith on the PC from where you are copying the file.
In other words, if you have a super-fast high-speed copnnection to the internet, you can still only download as fast as the connection that exists between the computer you're downloading from, and the internet, allows.