This is a shot in the dark. If your using windows in contol panel. Double left click on system. The general tab should list your operating system and CPU type and how much RAM you have installed. Not sure which version your using.

Under the hardware tab click device manager. This will list all the items installed. Find modem and click the + this will expand it and show which modem you are using.

If you don't have the ability to Repair LW whilst it is closed. Then it sounds as though you installed with what was known as the international (multilingual) installer & not the english installer. The problem with the old international installer version is that it installed Java 1.3 & enforced LW to use it. As the Gnutella network has developed & possibly updates to your OS this Java version might be struggling.

OS=Operating system (eg: Windows 98 or XP, etc.)
HDD=Hard Disk Drive (where everything is stored.)
Connection type= dial up modem, or broadband or cable, etc.

Have you considered updating LW?: http://www.limewire.com/english/content/download.shtml