[RESOLVED] ISP proxy faster, but ShieldsUP!! fails for stealthy ports!

[^dAvEy^]

Greetings!
Any suggestions as to how I can regain stealth ports when using my ISP's proxy server address?

On 2 router networked machines* I recently tested a tip** that asserted that broadband transfer rates, ups/downs, are likley to substantially increase and can potentially even more than double simply by connecting via the ISP's proxy server address.
I did a simple test comparing the reg configuration download rates - connecting to the router LAN/MAC address, with the proxy enabled rates for AVG update downloads.

I clearly see a substantial increase in download speeds, about 3x faster for both machines, when using the proxy address connection versus the reg configuration.

It is noteworthy that the tip I found and tested did not give any support info for adding the router access variable.

HOWEVER, while Steve Gibson's ShieldsUP!! - common ports test has always passed these machined as being 100% stealth on all ports, I just found out that both machines FAIL with even a few ports showing as wide open!

I'm pretty confident that for broadband network savvy techies (not me), the varying security readings are both logical and predictable for both connection configurations. I hope that you are among the savvy and are able/willing to provide me instructions for maybe resuming 100% port stealth for both machines with both connected via the the proxy address connection . any takers??
TIA for reading this post and for any related comments and/or suggestions!
^dAvEy^

NOTES:
* 2 museum piece 98se machines
- 400 & 266 mhz
- 280 & 128 mb, 100mhz, 168pin dbl sd SDRAM
- IE 6 & 5.5 SP2
- NIC wired & wireless to netgear 54mb WG614 router...
- CAT5 wired to cable broadband...
- modem running highspeed (not litespeed or extreme speed) service
BOTH 98se PC's:
- ZA free 2.6362
- AVG free 7.1
** Internet Options
Connections tab
LAN Settings
Proxy server section
"Use proxy server for your LAN..." - ENABLE
Address: <text box - user's ISP's proxy server address> <text box - appropriate port #>
Advanced...
"Use the same proxy server..." - ENABLED
"Do not use proxy server for addresses..." <text box - a few addresses were included in the tip's instructions>