AIM connection error occurred. The server message was: Conn:StartupFailure

thanks Tony, I've already tried the quicktime changes previously when I started having videochat problems (after searching these forums). I will post an error log in a bit (thanks for the help). Also, I'm also unable to log on to my wife's .mac account via ichat from her powerbook anymore! I am able to connect to ichat as usual from work (dsl) but not from home (cable). It seems it must be something with my network setup. I have an airport extreme and one airport express extending my network. my G5 is hardwired, the powerbook is wireless.
Thanks again for the help!

Here is the terminal log. this is all there is. It hangs up for 20 seconds or so than then it gives me the startup error window.

2006-12-16 08:21:48.980 iChat[257] CFLog (0): CFMessagePort: bootstrap_register(): failed 1103 (0x44f), port = 0x3d03, name = 'com.apple.iChat.ServiceProvider'
See /usr/include/servers/bootstrap_defs.h for the error codes.
2006-12-16 08:21:48.985 iChat[257] CFLog (99): CFMessagePortCreateLocal(): failed to name Mach port (com.apple.iChat.ServiceProvider)
2006-12-16 08:21:49.010 iChat[257] loaded /Users/jeffreyperkins/Library/Application Support/SIMBL/Plugins/iCAR.bundle
2006-12-16 08:21:49.011 iChat[257] iCAR: unknown version of iChat (3.1.5), assuming 2.0 structure
082150.797314 Loading hardware rules from hardwarerulesH264-G5.plist
082150.797574 Checking H264 hardware rules
082150.797743 Satisfied rule #3 (30:320x240)
082150.798441 setLocalUserName: Jeffrey Perkins@10.0.1.3
082150.818891 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
082150.820278 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
082150.820599 ++++++++ confStatusMapRemoveAll
082150.820736 ( ) -- mapUserIDToSecurityInfo cleared --
082150.823610 UPnP init passed
082150.823969 NATTraversal created
082150.824322 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
082150.864916 BWD: GotBandwidth: 579299/2329223 (up/down) @[10.0.1.3:255.255.255.0]
082150.865235 BWD bandwidth: 579 kbits up, 2329 kbits down.
082150.865290 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
082150.865321 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
082150.865520 vcCapabilities returns: 0x0000003f
082150.865574 VCCapAudio
082150.865616 VCCapVideo
082150.865655 VCCapMultiAudio
082150.865694 VCCapMultiVideo
082150.865734 VCCapMultiAudioHost
082150.865767 VCCapMultiVideoHost

I removed the SIMBL folder (which contains the iCar plugin) from Library/InputManagers and I'm still getting the same error message. Here is the Terminal message

092200.993048 Loading hardware rules from hardwarerulesH264-G5.plist
092200.993699 Checking H264 hardware rules
092200.994026 Satisfied rule #3 (30:320x240)
092200.994642 setLocalUserName: Jeffrey Perkins@10.0.1.3
092201.060960 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
092201.062287 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
092201.062434 ++++++++ confStatusMapRemoveAll
092201.062559 ( ) -- mapUserIDToSecurityInfo cleared --
092201.092686 UPnP init passed
092201.093333 NATTraversal created
092201.093993 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
092201.120701 BWD: GotBandwidth: 579299/2329223 (up/down) @[10.0.1.3:255.255.255.0]
092201.120842 BWD bandwidth: 579 kbits up, 2329 kbits down.
092201.120886 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
092201.120933 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
092201.356076 Lock: Util.c:528 waited on Camera.c:3321 for 235.095 ms
092201.356720 vcCapabilities returns: 0x0000003f
092201.356994 VCCapAudio
092201.357212 VCCapVideo
092201.357504 VCCapMultiAudio
092201.357730 VCCapMultiVideo
092201.357943 VCCapMultiAudioHost
092201.358157 VCCapMultiVideoHost
092201.365765 Send VCHardwareChanged: 1.
092201.368046 Received VCHardwareCapsChangeNotification
2006-12-16 09:22:01.369 iChat[270] Hardware Caps Dictionary: {
HasCamera = 1;
HasDV = 0;
HasMic = 1;
HasQ8 = 1;
Q8List = ({FirmwareVersion = 16973870; GUID = 2857630788230301; IrisState = 1; });
}
092201.368888 Found 1 cameras:
092201.368976 iSight - 2857630788230301
092201.369368 BWD: GotBandwidth: 579299/2329223 (up/down) @[10.0.1.3:255.255.255.0]
092201.369455 BWD bandwidth: 579 kbits up, 2329 kbits down.
092201.369483 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
092201.369508 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
092201.369615 vcCapabilities returns: 0x0000003f
092201.369652 VCCapAudio
092201.369676 VCCapVideo
092201.369700 VCCapMultiAudio
092201.369724 VCCapMultiVideo
092201.369749 VCCapMultiAudioHost
092201.369772 VCCapMultiVideoHost

The only thing i did differently is I hooked up my iSight camera. With or without iSight, it gives same message

Just changed the server port to 443 and it logged on! funny thing is It does not show my buddies in the buddy list window AND i cannot add a buddy to the list?. Quit iChat, tried to log on again, Got the error message again. I've got my computer firewall off and file sharing off.

093753.596057 Loading hardware rules from hardwarerulesH264-G5.plist
093753.596875 Checking H264 hardware rules
093753.597243 Satisfied rule #3 (30:320x240)
093753.597883 setLocalUserName: Jeffrey Perkins@10.0.1.3
093753.619457 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_INIT, from: VC_INVALID
093753.620995 ### NEW STATE: to: VC_IDLE, from: VC_INIT
093753.621125 ++++++++ confStatusMapRemoveAll
093753.621158 ( ) -- mapUserIDToSecurityInfo cleared --
093753.624287 UPnP init passed
093753.624543 NATTraversal created
093753.624773 Bandwidth based on QT prefs = 1500
093753.659846 BWD: GotBandwidth: 579299/2329223 (up/down) @[10.0.1.3:255.255.255.0]
093753.660018 BWD bandwidth: 579 kbits up, 2329 kbits down.
093753.660149 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
093753.660197 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
093753.918159 Lock: Util.c:528 waited on Camera.c:3139 for 257.584 ms
093753.918709 vcCapabilities returns: 0x0000003f
093753.918988 VCCapAudio
093753.919209 VCCapVideo
093753.919497 VCCapMultiAudio
093753.919716 VCCapMultiVideo
093753.919929 VCCapMultiAudioHost
093753.920139 VCCapMultiVideoHost
093753.927404 Send VCHardwareChanged: 1.
093753.982514 Found 1 cameras:
093753.983112 iSight - 2857630788230301
093753.984444 selectCameraByGUID: 2857630788230301 returned 1
093754.027992 Microphone devices:
093754.032483 iSight Built-in
093754.034710 Line In
093754.035173 Digital In
093754.035513 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.035898 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.036254 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.036595 Selected mic: iSight
093754.037157 Found 1 cameras:
093754.037566 iSight - 2857630788230301
093754.037990 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.039997 Microphone devices:
093754.040503 iSight Built-in
093754.041070 Line In
093754.041417 Digital In
093754.041725 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.042061 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.042413 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.042534 Selected mic: iSight
093754.055227 Received VCHardwareCapsChangeNotification
2006-12-16 09:37:54.056 iChat[332] Hardware Caps Dictionary: {
HasCamera = 1;
HasDV = 0;
HasMic = 1;
HasQ8 = 1;
Q8List = ({FirmwareVersion = 16973870; GUID = 2857630788230301; IrisState = 1; });
}
093754.056176 Found 1 cameras:
093754.056360 iSight - 2857630788230301
093754.056556 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.056994 BWD: GotBandwidth: 579299/2329223 (up/down) @[10.0.1.3:255.255.255.0]
093754.057134 BWD bandwidth: 579 kbits up, 2329 kbits down.
093754.057223 videoNetworkCapable: 1 -- 3 max participants.
093754.057260 audioNetworkCapable: 1 -- 9 max participants.
093754.057391 vcCapabilities returns: 0x0000003f
093754.057442 VCCapAudio
093754.057486 VCCapVideo
093754.057518 VCCapMultiAudio
093754.057529 VCCapMultiVideo
093754.057538 VCCapMultiAudioHost
093754.057548 VCCapMultiVideoHost
093754.129891 Found 1 cameras:
093754.130078 iSight - 2857630788230301
093754.130187 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.131927 Microphone devices:
093754.132127 iSight Built-in
093754.132365 Line In
093754.132472 Digital In
093754.135218 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.135439 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.135598 selectedCamera GUID returned iSight
093754.135681 Selected mic: iSight

several times after making each change. have tried default settings on server, no go. Any thought that it might help to reset the my airport extreme base station to default settings to see if i have something wrong there? I cannot log on from my powerbook either.

did this, rebooted, re-entered all the info about my .mac account, verified my info, still same error with either server port number. Hmmm.

all gone.

The only thing network related is that i've been using "phillips media manager" to stream audio and video to my Nokia 770 tablet. this has been off for all this difficulty. I did open some other ports for the firewall for this, but none are related to ichat. plus, i've had the firewall off.

Done. I had run tech tools 4 previously, but ran macjanitor as directed, repaired permissions. Still same error.
I'm going to reset my airport and disconnect my express and see if this helps. Tony, I really appreciate all your help!