Troubleshoot.ManualConnection
If this doesn't work try Connect using eDonkey network
Introduction
This guide is about making manual connections to the network, dealing with Gnutella and Gnutella2. There are some rare situations (like mine) where this is the only way to go, when the host cache is empty. If you have connection problems, but didn't try the usual steps yet, then read the G2 connection guide first. This guide here is only for "when all else fails" and rather for users with some clue about networking.
Usually, when the host cache is empty, the discovery services are queried for some hosts, which then can be connected to. If there is a problem, so that Shareaza may not query those services, it can't learn about hubs to connect to. And it will stay on "Connecting..." forever.
For simplicity I will always say "hubs" here, but keep in mind that for Gnutella, they are usually called "ultrapeers".
Setting up a manual connection
To set up a manual connection, you will need the IP and port of a running hub that will accept your connection. To find such a host, you will browse the GWebCaches manually with your browser.
In Shareaza, type F9 to open the "Discovery Service" window. There should be several lines, if not, then reset the list, as described in the other guide. Pick one of them keeping in mind that gray icons are for Gnutella and colored ones for Gnutella2 and sometimes for both networks, so choose the one matching the network you're trying to connect to. If you can't find GWebCaches for Gnutella, then there's a list of GWebCaches for Gnutella.
Now you have the service you want to browse. Copy its URL to your browsers address bar: From Shareaza you can double click the entries and a dialog will pop up, where you can copy&paste the URL. If you're on that page with the GWebCache list mentioned above you can simple click the links.
Now you are on the GWebCache page with your browser. On this page there should be a link somewhere that links to the list of known hubs. The link might say something like "Gnutella2 Hosts", "Host list", "Hosts", "Data" or whatever. If you can't find it, try clicking on some links you find there or try with another GWebCache.
You should now have a list of hubs, all of the form "IP:port". For example "123.123.123.123:6346". Note that there might be more than one list, because some GWebCaches are for more than one network. It should say which network the list is for.
In some GWebCaches, the hosts are links that you can click, so that Shareaza may catch the click and offer to connect to that host. But many don't. In that case, go back to Shareaza and press F2 to open the network window. Then press Ctrl+T. This will open a dialog box, where you will enter the IP address of the host (123.123.123.123) on the left side and the port (6346) on the right side. Then you must choose the right network from the pulldown menu. In this case, it will either be Gnutella2 or Gnutella, from whatever list you took the host from. Then click on "Connect" and watch what happens. In the network window, you should see a gray line with the IP and port of the host. If it turns to either blue or black, then it succeeded. Black lines are Gnutella connections and blue lines are for Gnutella2.
Don't worry if it failed and the gray line vanished. This is normal, as hubs come and go, or they might be too stressed to accept your connection. Pick another host from the list and try again. Try this with at least 20 hosts. As soon as one connects you can stop doing this, but be sure that the connection is stable, watch it for a couple of seconds. If you keep failing, try with another GWebCache.
If you're finally connected, then congratulation! Now let Shareaza connected for some time, so that the host cache may fill up again. If it is full, then chances are very large, that you won't have to do it again next time you start Shareaza. If you don't use Shareaza for a long time or reinstall it, then it's possible that you will have to do it again.
Still not connected!
Still no success? If it constantly keeps failing, then there might be something wrong with your network setup. For example there might be a firewall on your computer or on the network that blocks the connections. This is very likely on a school or an office network. Talk to the local network admin about this. If you have access to the firewall, then configure it to allow Shareaza to make any connection to the internet.