Socket streaming

Hi all.

running into a problem. after i have obtained an ip i cannot connect to it. dunno if its summin i am doing with this code, just wondered if n e one else could try this code, just replace my@... with your msn username:

Global socket:TSocket = CreateTCPSocket();
Global stream:Tsocketstream;
Global ipaddress:String;

If ConnectSocket (socket,HostIp("messenger.hotmail.com"),1863)  Then
	Print "Socket Connected"
	stream = CreateSocketStream(socket);
	If (stream) Then
		Print "stream created";
		WriteLine (stream,"VER 1 MSNP9 CVR0\r\n");
		Print ReadLine(stream);
		WriteLine(stream,"CVR 2 0x0409 win 5.10 i386 MSNMSGR 7.0.0816 MSMSGS my@...");
		Print ReadLine(stream);
		WriteLine (stream,"USR 3 TWN I my@...");
		xx:String = ReadLine(stream);
		Print xx;
	End If
	
	count:Int=0;
	collect:Int=0;
	
	Repeat
		count=count+1;
		If Mid(xx,count,1)=2 Then collect = 1;
		If collect = 1 Then 
			'If Mid(xx,count,1)<> "." Then 
			ipaddress=ipaddress+Mid(xx,count,1);
			'EndIf
		EndIf
	Until Mid(xx,count+1,1)=":"
	
	CloseStream(stream);
	CloseSocket(socket);
	Print ("Connecting to " + ipaddress);
	
	If ConnectSocket (socket,HostIp(ipaddress),1863)
		Print("Connected");
		WriteLine (stream,"VER 1 MSNP8 CVR0\r\n");
		Print ReadLine(stream);
	Else 
		Print("Unable to connect");
	EndIf
	
EndIf

CloseStream(stream);
CloseSocket(socket);

i know code is kinda sloppy but this was only intended as a test, only thing i can think may cause an issue reading the docs is that once its obtained the ip a msn client would connect to the host name of the ip, but cant see how thats different than connecting to the ip

*EDIT - seems i need a way to convert a dotted ip string to an int. value for the createsocket() function