Can't join any servers no matter what???

[Gman13]

I tried every server i could find (IP-wise) yesterday, the server list would never show any servers at all, even if i left it on & left the room & came back 15 mins later??? So i then tried direct connect using every server IP & port # i saw listed here on the MP forums section, most of them timed out & one of them (can't remember which,think it mite of been syndicates server) i got authenication error, is there anything i'm possibly missing? What am i doing wrong? Read on a post here somewhere "where supposedly if you set up certain presets to set up your own server that it supposedly helps in joining servers as well" Any truth to this??? Need help/recommendations plz!!!