You might try using a newer client to connect to gnutella and connecting your older servent to the newer one. Once the older servent has a number of connections it should be able to run independently.

On the other hand I would strongly encourage you to use a newer servent. You could try using LimeWire for example. If you know a little java it will be fairly easy to run the core in daemon mode and have the queries from your website sent to it. You are already using JSP, there shouldn't be much of a problem switching to the LimeWire core for searching Gnutella.

(You are aware of the fact that all major servents banned browser requests long ago??)