Nothing seems to work
 

I've tried EVERY server setup guide on this website and none of them work.
I just want to run a frickin' local server so I can play by myself on my own system but nothing works. I've gotten close, I can get the server files to run (world, launch, etc) but It will not let me connect to the login server even though the login server is running.

If you are unable to get the login server running properly, it would be easier for you to just set it to use the public login server instead. Otherwise, most likely your issue is in the login server config and/or server config files. You probably have the wrong IPs in one or both of them for use with a local setup.

I thought I had all of the IPs correct, I just can't figure it out. If I use the eqemulator.net as the login server, then I can't play on my own server. I'm still trying even though I'm becoming furious.

you can set to have your server run on eqemulator.net. and use their login server to log on your own server.

You using a dynamic dns address? Usually if you can't log onto your own server it is because you are trying to use loopback which most routers don't support (for good reason).

If you're running your own server with a dynamic dns address, you can connect to it as normal if you edit your hosts file on your local machines to point to the correct local IP given that hostname. I don't know where this is on Windows 7/vista.

Same place C:\Windows\System32\drivers\etc\hosts