NEED VC++/Winsock Control Example

I am attempting to use the 'Microsoft Winsock Cotnrol 6.0' in a C++ application, but without much success. I create the control in the usual COM way and do know that I am successful as I can display the controls' aboutBox.

Here is my problem, when I try to connect to the remote host (actually a loopback), the connection is never completed, therefore I can send nothing through the socket without getting an exception. Here is the code:

IMSWinsockControlPtr pWinsockCtrl = NULL;

HRESULT hResult = pWinsockCtrl.CreateInstance( __uuidof( Winsock ));

if( FAILED( hResult ))
{
return E_FAIL;
}

_variant_t varIPAddress( _T("127.0.0.1"));
_variant_t varPortID( 9999L );
_variant_t varData( _T("This is a test"));

hResult = pWinsockCtrl->Connect( varIPAddress, varPortID );

if( FAILED( hResult ))
{
return E_FAIL;
}

pWinsockCtrl->SendData( varData ); // <<<<<<<------ throws exception
pWinsockCtrl->Close();

Has anyone successfully used this control from C++ and is so, could you possibly send me some working code (or at least tell me what I am doing wrong).

Thanks!!

Barry