naw they arent blocking ports..... i know this for a fact
my roommate and i work on the school's IT staff.....its ashame too cuz our school doesnt wanna put out the money to get us a firewall.....SO i know they wouldnt block ports.....
and this new setting just recently changed....like i stated previously, last semester (last fall) mIRC was able and willing to connect....now it wont.
