The .ds store is just the settings Jag uses for the folder (icon or list view, window position and size, etc.). Don't worry--delete away.

So---the block is upstream of you: you've completely eliminated that it's in your system, and you've tried multiple versions of LimeWire. Those versions work very well for others.

Time to talk to your ISP.

Tell them what your http (web) speeds are, and ask why connections to the gnutella network on port 6346 are being throttled?

They may have a policy regarding p2p filesharing.

Ask them if they are using Cisco NBAR or Sandvine filesharing controls. If necessary, get them to do a packet trace and analyze packet loss. If nothing else, this should at least get you beyond 1st level help. Those folks often aren't aware what the network administrators are doing.

Grrr--this is such a pain! I wish ISP's would target spam websites as quickly as they hit on filesharing!