Fictional module IO::Socket::WhatEver returns its own typeglob which can be used as IO::Socket::INET object or tcp socket

A IO::Socket::INET object is a socket handle.

print($socket ...);   # Use as socket/file handle
send($socket, ...);   # Use as socket/file handle

$socket->print(...);  # Use as object
$socket->send(...);   # Use as object
[download]

If that's the purpose of IO::Socket::WhatEver, then you don't need it. ( After reading more, I see that's not the purpose. ) If IO::Socket::WhatEver also does other things, you need to inherit from IO::Handle, perhaps via IO::Socket::INET. Keep in mind the variable around which the object is based is a glob, not a hash. ( Yup, that's what you'll have to do. )