Phantom Firewall !

Hi I've been using Limewire for 2 - 3 years without problems. Then all of a sudden a firewall appears and I can't download/search for anything. So I read and tried most of the suggestions on this site all to no avail . ffffcuk
The only known firewall was the windows firewall , disabled, enabled, allowing LW , reconfiguring ports, trying manual port setup etc etc all no go ffffff.
THEN..! I read on another site to find a 'phantom' or hidden firewall go to
start - run- type in "services.msc" and look for anything that could be an internet firewall. The only one I could find was the windows firewall. I thought it couldn't be that as I've done everything including disabling it but what the hell I highlighted it and 'stopped' it. I went back into the windows firewall on my control panel and I couldn't even open it. So here goes...back into Limewire....and shite its all working!!!
I then went back into 'run' and restarted the windows firewall and everything cont'd to work purrrfectly although the firewall icon in LW was still showing but that might disappear later.
Incidently I joined this site during all this conflict but couldn't find where to 'post' a Q maybe I didn't read something ..? anyway I found it by accident in tools perhaps this could be made easier or probably I was just dumb..!
Anyway I hope the above helps.
A HAPPYLITTLE IMP!