XP SP2 Issues

I have been using Windows XP Service Pack 2 since beta. I had no problems with RC1 or RC2. I did use the firewall for a while just to see how it worked and form an opinion, but then I disabled it and just used either ZA or Trend Micro's personal firewall. Never had a problem.

Then the final release version came out. I installed it and could no longer communicate with anything. My computer talked with my wireless router at least long enough to get an IP address from DHCP, but I could not even ping the router, much less get out to the Web or anything else.

I ensured that the Windows Firewall was turned off. Still broken. I uninstalled my personal firewalls. Still broken. In the end I simply uninstalled SP2.

Has anyone had a similar experience or have any clues what the problem may have been? I liked SP2 during the RC1 and RC2 phases. I could probably eventually figure out the problem, but I am swamped with writing and its just not a priority of mine. Any help would be appreciated.

Yes it happened with me when I installed RC2, i tried for about half hour to get online but despite gateway and host reachable(cable internet) I couldn't autheticate myself to surf web. Then only out of frustation I just restarted my PC and poof I logged in a sec . This happened every time I started after 2 or 3 hours. Don't know any specific reason for as Now I only have SP1a installed.
I think problem is with that BITS thing that is part of SP2 because my problem started only after I applied that patch.