I know this isn't a squid limitation or a problem with the machine itself - if something is actually cached by squid, it comes down at local lan speeds.Also, I can download a zillion files all running at 235KB/sec on the sameworkstation.
Sure - have you configured delay pools ? Because you can *configure* squid to behave in exactly that way! Check you "delay pools" section in squid.conf.
I have no other idea whre this might come from. Yours, Jakob Curdes