HELP! Please... "excellent", no firewall, and NO DOWNLOADS!
 

1. OS version? Windows XP
2. What firewalls you have? Windows Firewall, with Limewire exception.
3. How much ram?1GB
4. Hard Disk space available? Over 75 GB
5. Connection type? Fiber-optic broadband
6. Modem & router brand name & model numbers? Unsure
7. Where are you trying to connect from? home
8. What version of LimeWire (LW) & Java do you have? LW 4.12.6, Not sure about Java
9. Who is your ISP provider (Internet Service Provider)? Verizon Fios
10. Do this simple test for us. Using your browser go here: http://www3.limewire.com:6346/ The page should say 'Your test worked!'. What happens when you go there? your test worked
11. Are you sharing the connection with other computers or p2p sharing programs? A desktop and one other laptop
12. Is this a your 1st try at FW or is this a new problem with an experienced user? Used Limewire forever, no issues. Set up port exceptions, still didn't work.
13. Do you see a brick wall in front of the blue world icon at the bottom of FW's interface? NO! That's whats ticking me off

No Brick. Exceptions On. Excellent connection quality. 1oo's of files already downloaded on same connection... everything just stays at "Connecting" now, and then DOESN'T DOWNLOAD.

Files that sit connecting for ages, then need more sources are usually fakes. Is it really all files that are doing this? Try searching for some old songs & see what happens. Stay away from the files with large numbers of sources...try a file with 10 or less sources & see what happens.
Check the stickies below for more info & tips

Fake files showing up in search results
How to find music (info here applies to movies, too)

If it really is every file getting stuck, delete LW's preferences folder when LW's closed. See points 2 & 3 below. If you've used older versions of LW you maight have a folder in either location, so check both.
Fixes for LimeWire