It sounds like you are on a Windows machine.

Did you recently install XP service pack 2 ?

The firewall enabled by SP2 may be blocking access to your SMTP server.

Try the command
NETSTAT -a
from a command line while your program is hung - see if it is waiting on port 25.

Another, more drastic diagnostic is to sniff the network for packets, using something like Ethereal.

    ...each is assigned his own private delusion but he cannot see the baggage on his own back.

In reply to Re: Net::SMTP->new call hangs by NetWallah
in thread Net::SMTP->new call hangs by gpurusho

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