downloads start out fast, then stop

[33w]

I'm running limewire 4.0.8 and windows xp. I have a cable connection. When I first installed limewire, my downloads were very consistent and pretty quick (80k +). Recently though, I've noticed my download speeds have decreased (no higher than 25k) and for some reason the download will suddenly stop after a few moments. If I exit limewire and then relaunch it, the download/s will resume for a few moments before haulting again. I'm aware of the fact that the quality and the number of places that a file can be found on the network can affect its download speed. I don't believe this to be the problem though. I only download files that can be found in plenty of places on the network and that have 4 star quality ratings. Any help would be greatly appreciated.