I am having problems connecting to EQ (in that I can't at all, not to play,
not to patch or anything)

I am running XP (SP2), with Norton Antivirus, the Windows Firewall and a
Linksys wireless router. I can install no problem, but then when I try to
run EQ, I get an errorbox saying that it can't connect and to contact SoE
Technical support.

It is not an issue with the Windows Firewall, because I tried running EQ
with it turned off. I also tried it with it turned on and an exception
given to EQ. It is not NAV, because I installed it with NAV turned off and
tried running it with it turned on and off. It is not the router because I
have the port forwarding set for EQ (according to what I found on the Sony
Technical support site).

I even tried a straight connection to the net to see if that would work,
and it doesn't work.

Other MMORPGs work (CoH, GW) and I have no other connectivity issues at
all.

Windows is a fresh install over a formatted partition (C), and EQ was a
fresh install from the EQ Platinum Pack on a different partition(E).

The frustrating thing is that in the middle of the week (before the crash
that necessitated the re-install of Windows) I was able to connect and play
no problem!!

Help!!