Using the connect method does have one advantage over your approach.

If I can't connect to a server be it from the remote registry service is down, the server is down, or there was an uninstall of netshield and *shock* the uninstaller left junk in the registry, the code I gave you will only make one attempt to connect with the server.

Your code will try three times and get three errors.

Okay, this is the last time I promise. ;-)