I exclude the possibility of active connection limit reached because:
a) I run amuled _after_ having used amule for a long time with config max connections and sources to 800 - 900. Even when I stress it by setting several downloads and uploads it never reaches the hard limit (I'm forcibly lowID for the internet, only get HighID in my providers' WAN)
" Active connectios (stima): 55
Maximun connections limit reached: never
Average connections (stima): 51,629185
Connections Peak (stima): 119
"
(mine is in italian, i just translated it someway)
b) The problem appears from the beginning when I start amuled with no downloads in cueue (and the upload cueue, as I said, is always empty for the uploads being terminated in a few seconds)
Concerning your question about routers, the computer where I run amuled has two ethernet cards and provides connectivity to others computers in my home serving as a NAT. Furthermore I'm behind a gateway/ADSL modem (provided by my isp) and a NAT (of my isp).
ALthough I have no access to change settings on my gateway, I have never suffered any connectivity problem caused by him.