Win2k Netstat sockets interpretation

I have been trying to learn as much as I can about internet 'security' to get a better feeling for what data is leaving my home, cable-connected computer.
Win2Ksp4,ZAint-security7-Highsecurity,cookies expirede immediately, remote access service disabled, filesharing deleted in 'networkadapter properties. T-bird, Firefox2.0

BUT, netstat /a indicates netbios ports 137,138,139,445 listening when I allow ZA to allow T-bird to act as a server to connect to the mail/news server.

I am confused by netstats output and don't understand the loopback 0.0.0.0 ports, the 255.255.255 gateway significance? I see when i have established tcp/ip connections to webpages ip addresses, but the other report outputs are confusing?

For eg; If I allow scvhost to access 0.0.0.0 when firefox2.0 opens i notice randomly ports assigned to urls or ip addresss. Most are obvious, but Akamaitech~ is frequently there and firefox always has 4 connections local and 4 remote open inaddition to the url i am browsing????

The output from Ethereal showed a big download in the background from google...hex and what looks like certificates or host file additions to banks .....I no option to control F.F. updates and like to know when/what is updated since permissions and options have a nasty habit of being reset to 'lame' when updates happen silently [old M$ trick]

I have checked many netstat resources to no avail...help?
Warf, back in the saddle....but I'm still slippin off!
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