encoder gets stuck/doesn’t connect to server

this is the first problem that i've come across while using AE/ME, and i've tried solve it on my own but am unable to. my media encoder has been acting up lately, and when trying to export it edits, ME either says endlessly tries to connect to the server, or starts to encode and then gets stuck at around 40%. does anyone have any ideas of how to fix this? 

     (i have tried to put the project into a new composition and file hoping for that to change something with no luck)