I use a socket connection in a subroutine that closes after I send a command. The easiest way that I have found to read the text back is using the shutdown ($socket_name, 1). You can then run a

while(<$socket_name>){
        print $_;
}
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to return whatever the prompt/responce is.

Again, for each command that I send, I create a new socket connection send the command and disconnect/kill the socket.

Also once the while loop is in place, you can use a regex to take what you want out, like the prompt, since it is making a new connection everytime.