IO::Socket is the OO version of the basic 'Socket' module - you can use either, though it's usually easier to use the first to do something like below...

A client...

use IO::Socket::INET;
my $socket = IO::Socket::INET->new("${my_server}:${my_port}") or die $
+!;
print $socket "My Ping\n";
my $answer = <$socket>; #should be 'My Pong'
close $socket;
[download]

use IO::Socket::INET;
my $server = IO::Socket::INET->new(LocalPort=>$my_port,Type=>SOCK_STRE
+AM,Listen=>1) or die $!;
while (my $client = $server->accept()) {
    my $message = <$client>;
    print $client "My Pong\n" if ($message =~/My Ping/);
}
[download]

Cheers, Ben.

Cool, that should get me started in the right direction, thanks again :)