Recently LimeWire Pirate Edition (LPE) for several people has had problems connecting. I believe LPE uses a bootstrap server to help LPE users connect in a similar way to how the LimeWire company had bootstrap servers for 4.18 and 5 to connect. And everyone knows what happened when the LimeWire company shut down their bootstrap servers in late 2010.

It is my guess either the LPE bootstrap server is no longer functioning or is over-loaded. Anybody's guess. Possibly under some kind of attack. (That is if one was being used.)

It is still possible to connect with LPE if you obtain a fresh gnutella.net file. If http://www.gnutellaforums.com/connec...t-connect.html does not work for you, then I have created a temporary fix. Once you get connected again, your connection problems will be solved for the near future. If using Windows 7 or later, Java needs to be set to Run as Administrator or problems connecting.

Fresh Gnutella.net file for connecting

gnutella.net file, 2012 (4shared) or Mirror 1 (Ezfile) or Mirror 2 (mediafire). Download and put into your LimeWire preferences folder:

Instructions on how to replace the gnutella.net file:

Mac OSX . and . Windows users see the 'REPLACE gnutella.net FILE' section of http://www.gnutellaforums.com/connec...t-connect.html


Installers to do the work for you?

Mac OSX: MacOSX Gnutella Connect Fix, 2012 (4shared) Unzip and double-click the program installer. Or alternative links: here (Ezfile) or here (mediafire).

Windows: Windows Gnutella Connect Fix, 2012 (4shared) or alternative links: here (mediafire) and here (Ezfile) or here (uploaded).

Linux: See this post for the download links for a Linux connection fix installer.


Note: These are not self-updating installers like the ones I created last year.


Do not disable file-sharing, do not 'freeload', if nobody were sharing files, you know of course there would be no files to download. If you are a part of the file-sharing community, then share your part and be a respected member of the file-sharing community. Do you never return what you borrow from your friends? Do you never return your partner's kisses and attention? File-sharing can even be a passion!
.

Worked fine, thanks!

Good to hear. Thanks for letting us know. Which option did you use may I ask?

Just replaced gnutella.net, Windows 7.
A hint: there's a faster way to get to the Application Data directory.
Click on the start button, and type %APPDATA% in the textbox.
An Explorer window opens on the Application Data dir.
Cheers,
cbb

Is C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\LimeWire\browser\xul runner\defaults\pref the path you speak of? I see no folder specifically labeled preferences in any LimeWire directories.

Click on the Start button > type %appdata% into the text field > ok. You should now see a lot of folders - find the one named LimeWire ... that is your preferences folder.
The gnutella.net file is situated in that folder. The folder itself is not called preferences, simply LimeWire.
The appdata\roaming is where preferences for most of your programs will be stored. Doubtful any of them will have the word preferences suffixed at the end of their title.
ie:
C:\Documents and Settings\*yourusername*\AppData\Roaming\Limewire

Ohh okay. Thanks. I just did everything and it still isn't connecting. I didn't use your gnutella.net file links because the first one requires registration and the second one is broken. Can you confirm if this one is accurate?

FrostWire Community Forums • View topic - Replacement of gnutella.net file for Frostwire 4

The link is about 15 or so lines down. It's in big blue type. Can't miss it. Thanks in advance for your help.

Yeah same process. Either would probably be fine. I update mine every couple of weeks or more plus all static hosts. Depending on whether you are using FrostWire or LW there are connection installers to install the gnutella file anyway.

Which gnutella link was dead? There was a mishap a couple days ago and I had to re-upload everything and change the links on the forum. I may have missed a couple of links to update. Oh, nvm you mean the one in the first post above. Updated as of now and added a 3rd alternative.

oops .. I checked that gnutella connection file out from the FrostWire site forum and it has 26 hosts from known spam companies. And that was just a quick check.
I know because they are using port 27016 which is only used by certain spam companies. I also saw a few other host addresses which looked suspicious.

And just like that, I'm back in business You sir truly are The Lord of the Rings. The LimeSlice Rings LW has went defunct for me sometime in the summer. You mentioned you update your gnutella file every few weeks. Is there a reason for this? Does gnutella go haywire every so often. I've been using LWPE since late 2010 & it just went lights out on me this year. Does constantly updating the gnutella file help keep LW consistently faster?

P.S Are you a Linux Guru?

Good to hear.

If you have not used any LW 5 version for 30 days it will delete the connection file. However you can get File_Girl71's LW-Fix2 to prevent this from happening.

You should not need to continually update the connection file. Not unless your connection file somehow gets full of part-time/casual users or users with highly dynamic addresses or spam hosts lol.

The gnutella file I provide: I have left the gnutella file as is for 3 to 5 months at a time. But some of these hosts on the list stop using the network. And with lots of people using the connection files, obtaining fresh data is helpful. Even with static hosts the list can begin to show signs of not being as effective. I added a lot to the list 6 weeks or so ago, but I think some of my choices were a little hasty so I've been slowly adding what I believe are reliable hosts. For example, those who connect for several days at a time during the week, and not those whom might only connect on the weekend or be possibly only trying the network out for a short time. I also try to choose hosts I do not believe are in any way related to spammers or hostile hosts. So in short, I try to be very selective. Finding static hosts is not in itself easy.

Edit: off-topic: I fixed a small bug in the OSX connectionfix installers that had existed since September when I added the launch FrostWire button on the last menu. Unlike LW, the FW devs set FW to use an old method for identifying its application on OSX (and my scripting to handle this approach had an error though it worked.)