Crash on attempting to connect

[Bardboy]

description:

When trying to connect to EQEmulator servers;
I click the connect button or New account button, I crash to the desktop.

Info:
OS=Windows XP
Direct X9.0b
ATI Radeon 'latest recommended drivers
Fresh installation of Everquest
Updated thru Verant patch server
Using ver 5.5 EQEmu

Here is a copy of eqclient.txt:
======================================
[Registration Servers]
{
"register.eqemulator.net:5999"
}
[Login Servers]
{
"eqlogin1.eqemulator.net:5997"
"eqlogin2.eqemulator.net:5997"
"eqlogin3.eqemulator.net:5997"
}
======================================
Here is a snip of dbg.txt:
======================================
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:14 2004]00000:Starting EverQuest.
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:14 2004]00001:Init point
***
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:15 2004]00014:Init done.
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:15 2004]00000:Entering eqmain.dll
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:15 2004]00001:FE: Found adapter #0 - RADEON 9000 SERIES
***
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:16 2004]00018:FE: t3dInitializeDevice completed successfully.

[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00019:OpenComms create begin
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00020:OpenComms create end
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00021:OpenComms create failed <--- (What is this, do you think?)
***
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00022:EQMain.dll Version v2.0.18 Mar 15 2004
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00023:new_dll_main address 0x11020fb9
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00024:eqmain.dll instance 0x11000000
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00025:fatal error in main thread Code = c0000005

ADDR=0x11071d99
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00026:EAX=0013ec84 EBX=00000000 ECX=0166ef60 EDX=
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00027:ESI=0166e5a0 EDI=0166ef60 EBP=00000000

ESP=0013ebc0
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:22 2004]00028:Raw Stack ( I cut the stack info out)
***
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:23 2004]00285:Call Stack

[Sat Apr 10 05:00:23 2004]00286:crashed doing call stack
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:23 2004]00287:Stack Scan

[Sat Apr 10 05:00:23 2004]00288:crashed doing stack scan
[Sat Apr 10 05:00:23 2004]00289:Process was trying to READ invalid data.

[Sat Apr 10 05:00:23 2004]00290:Invalid access occurred at virtual address

0x00000004.

[Sat Apr 10 05:00:24 2004]00291:Exiting eqmain.dll with crash
===============================================

<edit> I disabled all other programs and exposed my computer to the savage wilds of the internet by bypassing my router. It didnt help. </edit>