These are the config files for my localhost server:
http://wiki.eqemulator.org/i?M=Pastebin&Paste=Iq5InHLy# (login.ini)
http://wiki.eqemulator.org/i?M=Pastebin&Paste=FVFBCFyr# (eqemu_config.json)
I've been using this for years now..even prior to the xml to json change.
I don't really see anything different that might cause issues with a zone hand-off.
And ports aren't an issue on localhost - or, at least they shouldn't be.