Windows XP Pro & Limewire Connectivity

[rwh]

If the answer to this question is somewhere else on one of the forums, I apologize in advance. However, I have searched forums and the internet for several days and either cannot find (or am too computer illiterate to recognize) the answer if it's there.

I recently installed Windows XP Pro on my computer. Prior to this upgrade I was running Windows 98SE and running Limewire 1.8 with no problems at all.

After upgrading, I installed Limewire 2.3 (including java plug in that is packaged with it). Program loads and launches just fine. No errors during installation. The problems is I cannot connect to any hosts at all. (I have tried adding additional hosts, but that does not work). So I removed LW 2.3 and tried other versions (Limewire 1.7 and Limewire 1.8) with the same result. I have also tried installing a non-packaged version of the java plug-in directly from Sun (just incase the packaged version was corrupt), but that didn't help either.

I also tried using another client (bearshare 2.5), that installed just fine, but wouldn't connect either.

Nothing else but the OS has changed on my computer. I am not behind any kind of personal firewall. I connect to the internet by satellite (starband "LAN .. "http" proxy only .. "localhost 9877"). I have no problems surfing or downloading programs.

I have used telnet to make sure port 6346 is not being blocked by my ISP and it is OPEN.

Does anybody have any idea what my problem is, or how to find out what it is and/or (miracle of miracles) any ideas on how to solve it ??

If you need any other info, let me know.

I am at my wits end !!