Cant connect to me beta 1.7.3 server

I know for a fact that my 1.7.3 server worked a year ago but now the minecraft client wont make a connection. the 1.7.3 beta client cant connect at all and the current minecraft version 1.7.4 doesnt detect the server as being on even with the public adress, local address and the localhost adress. did mojang change something with the way the client connects or the way the servers connect to the client. i dont know what happened but now i cant play on my 1.7.3 server. is there a way to play my 1.7.3 server? please dont tell me that i shouldnt run it in offline mode because no one can connect otherwise. i do beileive that mojang changed the way servers contact the client after a certain point. is there a way around it if this is the cause?
here is the console log

2014-03-30 17:38:24 [INFO] Starting minecraft server version Beta 1.7.3
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [INFO] Loading properties
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [INFO] Starting Minecraft server on *:25566
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [WARNING] **** SERVER IS RUNNING IN OFFLINE/INSECURE MODE!
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [WARNING] The server will make no attempt to authenticate usernames. Beware.
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [WARNING] While this makes the game possible to play without internet access, it also opens up the ability for hackers to connect with any username they choose.
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [WARNING] To change this, set "online-mode" to "true" in the server.settings file.
2014-03-30 17:38:24 [INFO] This server is running Craftbukkit version git-Bukkit-0.0.0-945-g73697a4-b1000jnks (MC: 1.7.3)
2014-03-30 17:38:25 [INFO] Preparing level "world"
2014-03-30 17:38:25 [INFO] Preparing start region for level 0 (Seed: 9184825199789629829)
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [INFO] Preparing start region for level 1 (Seed: 9184825199789629829)
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [WARNING] Bukkit version is not the recommended build for Essentials.
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [INFO] Loaded Essentials build 2.5.8 by: Zenexer, ementalo, Aelux, Brettflan, KimKandor, snowleo, ceulemans, Xeology, KHobbits
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [INFO] Essentials: Using config based permissions. Enable superperms in config.
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [INFO] Loaded EssentialsSpawn build 2.5.8 by: essentials team
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [INFO] WorldEdit 4.6 enabled.
2014-03-30 17:38:26 [INFO] WorldEdit: No known permissions plugin detected. Using configuration file for permissions.
2014-03-30 17:38:27 [INFO] Server permissions file permissions.yml is empty, ignoring it
2014-03-30 17:38:27 [INFO] Done (0.160s)! For help, type "help" or "?"
2014-03-30 17:38:29 [INFO] Stopping the server..
2014-03-30 17:38:29 [INFO] Stopping server
2014-03-30 17:38:29 [INFO] Saving chunks
2014-03-30 17:38:33 [INFO] Stopping server