Services delay network connection?

[Schmapdi]

Hello all - new to the forums here, and with quite a pickle.
 
I've long used the services guide at this site to tweak my services, this Jan. I re-built my computer complete with a fresh install of XP pro SP3.  My previous install was only SP2 - though I regularly update on Windows Update, so I likely had most everything of SP3 already.  After installing and working the kinks out, I went through the SP3 list and changed them to the standard "tweaked" settings (give or take 1-2 services I needed).   
 
Here's my problem - formerly - when I started my computer it would automatically log onto the network so that about 15-20 seconds after booting I would be connected to the lan/internet/etc and could go about my business.  Now however (post tweaking) this happens:
 
  Start computer, start IE 7 - wait 10 seconds(ish) for it to time out, hit refresh, wait 10 more seconds, refresh again - it finally connects and everything works fine.  Checking the firewall records - I recieve my ip address and whatnot just fine immediately when I boot - but for some reason until I try to use it - it won't actually "connect" in some sense until I do the above.  (It's not just IE either, AVG update, spybot, GFWL - anything that uses the internet).
 
So naturally - I tried reverting some of the network related services (one at a time) that I had changed to fix this including:
Ipsec
Net Log-on
NLA
NPS
SSDP
Tcpip/Netbios Helper
Web-client
(as well as two others that were new in SP3 that I tried first - but didn't write down)
 
Basically - no matter how far fetched - if it was a network related service, I gave it a go.  And still nada. 
 
If anyone has any ideas, I'd be extremlely grateful to hear them.  Thanks! 
Sorry for the long-ass post.

[couttsj]

Unless you are using PPPoE, there is no such thing as logging into the Internet. Once you have acquired an IP address, Net Mask, and Gateway address, and your TCP/IP stack is activated, you are connected. There are some simple tests that you can conduct to verify that point. The simplest is to watch the light on the ethernet card for activity.

Since your browser is a complex piece of software, it does not make a very good test tool. Find a reliable server address on your ISP's network. I use my ISP's outbound mail server. Go to a command prompt. Verify that you have TCP/IP active by typing in the command "ipconfig /all".

Next verify that you have DNS translation by pinging the selected sight by name:

C:\>ping smtp.yourisp.net

Pinging smtp.svc.yourisp.net [199.185.220.xxx] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 199.185.220.xxx: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=249
Reply from 199.185.220.xxx: bytes=32 time=59ms TTL=249
Reply from 199.185.220.xxx: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=249
Reply from 199.185.220.xxx: bytes=32 time=60ms TTL=249

Ping statistics for 199.185.220.xxx:
    Packets: Sent = 4, Received = 4, Lost = 0 (0% loss),
Approximate round trip times in milli-seconds:
    Minimum = 59ms, Maximum = 60ms, Average = 59ms

By using the server name, you have verified that you have domain name service and the selected site is responding. If it times out without being translated, then you know there is a problem with DNS service, so try pinging the IP address directly:

C:\>ping 199.185.220.xxx

Warning: not all sites respond to a ping (eg. Microsoft). That's why it is important to select a reliable site that you know works consistently.

J.A. Coutts

[Black Viper]

And look here:
http://www.blackviper.com/AskBV/XP20.htm

[Schmapdi]

Thanks Black Viper!  Using the list on the page you linked me, I winnied it down and discovered the following:
 
Of the ones listed, I only had 8 that weren't set to the XP Pro SP3 "defaults," so I changed them all back to their default setting (manual for most) and it worked!  So then I disabled them one at a time until it "broke" again.  Eventually reaching the conclusion that I needed BOTH Remote Access Connection Manager and the SSDP Discovery Service on manual for things to work properly. 
 
Here's the weird thing though - I have both a hardware router and a static IP address.  So your page as you linked it shouldn't have really applied to me.  Which is confusing - I'm going to keep digging - I'll post if I can discover the deeper reasoning of what's wrong and why.  But for now I'm just happy to have things back to normal. 
 
Thanks again!

[couttsj]

Eventually reaching the conclusion that I needed BOTH Remote Access Connection Manager and the SSDP Discovery Service on manual for things to work properly. 
 
Here's the weird thing though - I have both a hardware router and a static IP address.  So your page as you linked it shouldn't have really applied to me.  Which is confusing - I'm going to keep digging - I'll post if I can discover the deeper reasoning of what's wrong and why.  But for now I'm just happy to have things back to normal. 
 
Thanks again!

Although it is rare these days, it is possible that your system has a component that requires SSDP. As far as RasMan is concerned, if you look at the Dependencies for that service, you will see that both ICF and ICS are dependent. If you are behind a NAT router and are using it properly (no DMZ), you should not need the Internet Connection Firewall and should be able to disable both services.

J.A. Coutts