I agree with dws, working on this for 3 weeks might learn you a thing or two but will you be able to learn enough to deliver a good product?

Network programming starts and ends with Sockets (well, there's some stuff in the middle too). I recommend starting with IO::Socket. Do you have basic knowledge on Networks? Do you know what a socket is, etc?

Greetz
Beatnik
... Quidquid perl dictum sit, altum viditur.