Do you have a router? Do you have a dynamic IP or Static IP?
Sometimes turning off your firewall will not do it ( I have seen this many times as a tech for an ISP). With some firewall software, disabling it does NOT open the port ( it is no longer blocked, but it is still NOT open), you MAY have to uninstall your firewall. But lets see if it is something else first as that is not as easy as say changing some settings in your router (if you have one..) and so-on....
Also, are you patched up to current? Re-running the patcher MAY help, but is not guarenteed...
Did you respond to the email sent to you when you created your eqemu account? If you didnt this COULD be your cause, as they are constantly deleting or deactivating (would be a better word) accounts that were NOT activated (posting on this board is NOT proof that you activated it, because you CAN post but NOT be able to get onto a server...)
Another thing to consider (that is a new-found cause of 1017) is password length. If it is too short you WILL get the 1017 error.
Summary for this crap, is that 1017 is USUALLY (and MOST commonly) casued by either a version conflict or a NAT issue... But remember that it is STILL really a generic error...