[CalvinC]

Have you started the server, and maken sure that the server console (samp-server.exe) stays open while you try to connect?
And that it doesn't give you error messages on the console?

If that didn't help, make sure you have the right IP, and the port 8888 attached to it, otherwise it'll try to connect to 7777 since that's default.

With the IP first, and then the port, like this: ??.??.??.??:8888