Windows XP SP2 Firewall unexpected behavior

I updated my Windows XP Home to SP2 recently. Now the Windows
software firewall acts differently and, to me, unexpectedly and
undesirably.

I had the SP1 firewall ON for my dial-up connection but OFF for my
Ethernet (DSL) and Firewire connections. The computer is behind a
hardware firewall in my DSL gateway and it is the only computer
connected to the gateway. The Firewire connection is unused.
Dial-up has been nearly unused since I got the DSL connection. I
see no need for the software firewall except for the rarely-used
dial-up connection.

With the SP2 firewall ON, and only the dial-up connection checked
in the Windows Firewall - Advanced tab: The software firewall is
ON whenever I am logged in, even though only the DSL connection is
being used.

With the SP2 firewall OFF, and only the dial-up connection checked
in the Windows Firewall - Advanced tab: The software firewall is
ON for about 70 seconds after I log in following a restart, then
goes OFF. It is also ON for a few seconds after I log in following
a log out.

The only way I have found to really turn off the software firewall
is to uncheck all three connections in the Advanced tab, so it
would not be used by any connection.

Is there a way for the XP SP2 software firewall to be used only by
the network connection(s) for which it is desired, as in SP1?

I updated my Windows XP Home to SP2 tonight. Now the XP software
firewall is ON (at least part of the time) regardless of whether
it is set ON or OFF in the Windows Firewall - General tab, and
whether the active network connection is checked to use it in the
Windows Firewall - Advanced tab.

I had the SP1 firewall ON for my dial-up connection but OFF for my
Ethernet (DSL) connection. The computer is behind a hardware
firewall in my DSL gateway and it is the only computer connected
to the gateway. Dial-up has been nearly unused since I got the DSL
connection. I see no need for the software firewall except for the
rarely-used dial-up connection.

With the SP2 firewall ON, and only the dial-up connection checked
in the Windows Firewall - Advanced tab: The software firewall is
ON whenever I am logged in, even though only the DSL connection is
being used.

With the SP2 firewall OFF, and only the dial-up connection checked
in the Windows Firewall - Advanced tab: The software firewall is
ON for about 70 seconds after I log in following a restart, then
goes OFF. It is also ON for a few seconds after I log in following
a log out.

The only way I have found to really turn off the software firewall
is to uncheck all connections in the Advanced tab, so it would not
be used by any connection.

Is there a way for the XP SP2 software firewall to be used only by
the network connection(s) for which it is desired, as in SP1?

Partial system description: Windows XP Home SP2 with all updates.
2.4GHz Pentium 4 CPU in Gigabyte 8IEXP motherboard, about 2.7
years old. No overclocking. 1GB of ECC memory. 2Wire 1800HG DSL
gateway. 200GB Samsung HDD.

Russ

omitted redundant text in original message

I updated my Windows XP Home to SP2 recently. Now the Windows
software firewall acts differently and, to me, unexpectedly and
undesirably.

I had the SP1 firewall ON for my dial-up connection but OFF for my
Ethernet (DSL) and Firewire connections. The computer is behind a
hardware firewall in my DSL gateway and it is the only computer
connected to the gateway. The Firewire connection is unused.
Dial-up has been nearly unused since I got the DSL connection. I
see no need for the software firewall except for the rarely-used
dial-up connection.

With the SP2 firewall ON, and only the dial-up connection checked
in the Windows Firewall - Advanced tab: The software firewall is
ON whenever I am logged in, even though only the DSL connection is
being used.

With the SP2 firewall OFF, and only the dial-up connection checked
in the Windows Firewall - Advanced tab: The software firewall is
ON for about 70 seconds after I log in following a restart, then
goes OFF. It is also ON for a few seconds after I log in following
a log out.

The only way I have found to really turn off the software firewall
is to uncheck all three connections in the Advanced tab, so it
would not be used by any connection.

Is there a way for the XP SP2 software firewall to be used only by
the network connection(s) for which it is desired, as in SP1?

Russ