I don't have a joystick, nor do I have enough joystick-needy games to warrant the purchase of even a cheap one. If I start to play the game, I'll learn to adjust with mouse and keyboard.
Mechwarrior is every reason in the world to fork out for a Force Feedback Pro. Evidently you've never played Mechwarrior.
I pity you...
Anyway, connection: First of all, you can't be behind a firewall, NAT thinger, whatever. Be open, be free, like a fat man with his fly open.
1) Install Allegiance.
2) Install patch.
3) Grab ASGS. Update ASGS.
4) Reboot.
5) Run ASGS and get an account. Then click the 'UPDATE ASGS' at the bottom of that window. Close. Reopen. Login. It'll then run SOVLogin, and your name will have (1) after it (indicating level of nubcaekness). Then it should connect and run Allegiance. Join a public game, probably the newbie server.
Watch out for vets whoring the newbie server though