Thanks for your input birdy. As it happens, I have just independently discovered that one of those threads you have put a link to, is the right answer in my case. I can only connect to limewire with tiscali if I try in the morning or early afternoon. Evenings? Forget it!

This is not a problem for me, as I have days free anyway. But it does show that in some cases, it is not the port, it is not the bandwidth, it is not anything except the time of day. But don't ask me why, I haven't a clue.