I completely redid my OS yesterday. Before I did, I used Limewire without a problem. After I reinstalled Windows XP Home and got all my stuff back up and running, I installed Limewire and it just sits there and says Disconnected in the lower left corner. It doesn't even make an attempt at connecting. I didn't do anything different than before when I had it working fine.

I've read and re-read many of the posts here and tried alot of the supposed fixes people have posted without any luck.

I've uninstalled my Norton to see if that was the problem, but no luck.

I deleted the COMPLETE LimeWire directory and restarted and reinstalled LW, but no luck.

I turned off Windows Firewall, No luck

I checked my Router settings and the Firewall within that is turned off.

I checked to make sure that the Windows Firewall was allowing LW, and it was on the Allow list.

I bypassed my router and directly connected to the main internet line, and no luck there either.

I uninstalled ALL the Java on the computer and let Limewire install it's own... No luck

I guess my question is, What happened before that's different now? I had no problems before with my LW. I've installed it on both by brothers computers as well as my parents and all theirs are still working.

I know it's not my ISP blocking it because my Parents still works fine and they have the same Internet provider, plus mine worked fine before I redid the OS.


I never noticed before, but there is a Brick Wall in front of the globe on my Limewire, even though the Router Firewall is turned off and the LimeWire is allowed in my Windows Firewall. The funny thing is, I turned Windows Firewall off and on and the wall is still in front of the globe

I'm running:

Windows XP Home
Intel Pentium D 3.0
2 gigs of Ram
160gb main hard drive and two 320 backup hard drives (plenty of space)
Norton 2006
Limewire 4.12.6

My last option would be to completely reformat again and reinstall Windows and then Install LimeWire BEFORE anything else

Any ideas would be greatly appreciated.

You never did say what brand & model your router is. That could be important for us to know.

You shouldn't have both XP & Norton firewalls runnng together. They are known to conflict with each other. Giving you less security not more. And may also give LW problems. I'd suggest disabling XP firewall, & reconfiguring Norton firewall. (a) Reconfiguring Norton Firewall, & (b) Configuring Norton Internet Security

Did you mean you are running your router in DMZ mode. It's not safe to run it without any security or you risk cyber attack via ddos attack or hacking into your computer.

My guess is that after reinstalling your OS, your computer ip has changed & thus your router isn't relating to any port forwarding or UPnP. If you're running on a lan or shared internet connection then this is probably what's happened. You should reset your internet settings. And also configure your router by telnetting into it & enabling UPnP or else, port forwarding: http://portforward.com/routers.htm

I have a Linksys BEFSR41 router. I disabled the firewall within the router a long time ago and haven't messed with it since. I just got back into it and made sure that the firewall was off and it was. That was the main reason the first time I had Limewire (about 3 years ago), that I couldn't connect. It was in the advanced options and changed a 0 to a 1 in the DMZ area if I remember right. I'm at work right now so I can't check for sure, but that was the solution that the Linksys tech gave me and it worked. I've had no problems with it since.

As far as Norton Firewall and Windows Firewall, I can connect with either both running or both off or one or another running and off.

I also am running just plain Norton AntiVirus 2006, NOT the Internet Security. I had too many problems with that, so I went with just the regular AntiVirus

I appreciate the links for disabling and reconfiguring the Norton, but Why would LW still not connect when I totally Uninstalled the Norton?

Also, I bypassed the router all together and went right from my modem and still the LimeWire wouldn't even attempt to connect. My guess is that it has to be something within Windows considering I bypassed the router and uninstalled Norton and still had problems.

I guess the main thing is that I had no problems before the reinstall of Windows, so I have no clue what could be wrong.

I'm going to reformat and totally reinstall Windows again and LimeWire will be the first thing I install and we'll see if that works. Maybe one of the Microsoft security updates screwed things up?

I also have a backup Dell 4700 computer and took the same Install program from Limewire and it connected just fine and that was connected to the same router. Thats another reason I think my problem is within Windows on my main computer.

Again, thanks for the insight. Alot of that looks like french to me, but I'll read it a few times and I'm sure I'll catch on. Thanks again

I flipped Lime Wire on this morning when I got home and it didn't do anything at all as usual. I went into options and was checking out the proxy thing as well as the advanced link and looked at the Restore Defaults button. I figured... what can I hurt? I clicked it and it said that I'd have to do settings again when I restarted Limewire.

I clicked for it to start again and went through the process.... I finished and it started up

I have no clue what I did and I didn't change anything at all. Nothing on the computer, nothing on Norton, Nothing on my router. I've uninstalled and reinstalled many times and made sure to get rid of ALL the Lime Wire files in my Documents as well as the Program Files section.


This was odd indeed... I've never had to mess with settings before when I've installed the program. I set up my shared folder and away I went

hahaha well done! Well there you go. At least it's up & running & let's hope it stays that way.

No doubt. I tried it again today just to see and it came up right away. Isn't it weird how the easiest possible solution is often the most overlooked?

I am in S. Korea. Came here in Sept. Have windows xp. Was able to download from Limewire for months. Then about 6 weeks ago it stopped working. It looks like I am not connecting. I disabled windows firewall and have no virsus scanner working when I try to connect. Help. It's lonely here without US music.

A few more details will be helpful for us: System details - help us to help you (click on link)

i could and did connect to limewire when i arrived in korea for over 2 months it worked. then i did not use it for about a month when i tried it didn't work. windows xp version 2002 service pack 2 windows firewall 512 ram 68gb disk space broadband no idea or router details, apartment connection, limewire 4.12 or latest freeware available, it does say "Your test worked", not sharing, used limewire in US on this computer, used limewire when i came here in Sept and Oct. no brick walls but also no bars they start up but stop I was in the processing of downloading four songs when limewire starts now they say "connecting" then it changes to "searching for more sources" and remains that way no matter what i do. I can search limewire and find a ton of songs but when i click on them it's always the same i can start downloads but it changes now to waiting on busy hosts all songs i try it says that

1. Make a note of all your settings & then delete your LW Preferences folder whilst LW is closed; instructions here: Point #2 & 3 in Fixes for Limewire (sample image included at bottom of page.) Next time you open LW you'll need to reset all your option settings.

2. Beware of Fake files in search results