Thanks Norm, appreciate the suggestions.... but I'm still confused.

I'm quite sure I have always connected as an ultrapeer (also prior to 2.7.3).... bottom of my connections window consistantly shows ultrapeer each time I connect.... as it consistantly did prior to 2.7.3

I have also never checked the "decline connecting as ultrapeer" checkbox.... so there should be no differences in my environment parameters between 2.7.3 and 2.7.1

hmmmm...