When I change from auto-connection to manual selection and select a server nothing happens or changes, ecpt the name of the servere in the server field changes to to the server I selected
What version of Electrum are you using?
If it's as old as v3.3.x, most of the servers will prevent you from connecting.
If not and there's no issue in your network, try to enable logging to check if you can find the issue there.
You can enable it in "
Tools->Preferences->Misc->Write logs to file" (
restart Electrum and try to connect to a server),
Close Electrum, then check the latest log file in "
electrum/logs" directory. (
electrum datadir default loc)