u hi-jackin this topic?
does qconnect work?
cant explain /connect ip not working. and i dunno why your using ingame browser. the awaiting gamestate issue sounds similar to what one of the wgvd ppl reported some time ago.
here: http://www.excessiveplus.net/forums/thread/stuck-at-awaiting-challange
resolution was to block this in your host file.
127.0.0. authorize.quake3arena.com

(just go c:/windows/system32/drivers/etc)
if u cant save it then run as admin and make sure the file is not set to read only. might need restart to take effect, i wouldn't know.