Yeah - jellyboy11 I am also using wireless connection to a cable modem to my ISP.
No I don't get any pauses in communication when all is working as it should - it should run just like a wired connection. I have 600Mbps download and I get good average downloads at this rate where the internet server allows such rates.
I have had some problems with the wireless link that give weird effects.
Problems I have had:
1. I have a bug in the power save mode on the card which causes it to rapidly switch on/off - this caused no end of problems until I found out the cause and disabled it. My card is a Dell card (orinoco) so I doubt you have the same problem unless the card power save is an XP function.
2. I use a router to the cable modem and on (rare) occasions the card transmission makes the router hang. I dunno the cause.
I wonder do you know that cable modem capping can cause strange effect - which will show up regardless of your network link being wired or wireless. Tends to show on games when the game server feeds the modem too much UDP data which is lost. That would look like pauses as the modem errors and recovers. If you have a problem with a parfticular site or game try with a wired connection and see if the problem remains. That will eliminate the wireless link or prove its the cause.
There is a terrific guide to cable modem connections and things you can check out.
http://homepage.ntlworld.com/robin.d.h.walker/cmtips.html
Also I use a comms monitor which will show you the realtime comms rate between your wireless nic and the modem.
http://www.analogx.com/contents/download/network/nsl.htm
Download AnalogX NetStat Live and monitor with that.
Try a big download and see if the monitor shows dipping in the data flow.
Come back again - I'm interested in the problem.