Hello there. I have been experimenting with several various winsock controls and libraries (ie: Catalyst, wwIPStuff, etc) in an effort to give my VFP application "Net Awareness" functionality. I have tried to use functions like "GetIPFromDomain()" and other RAS enumerations. My problem is every time I attampt a WinSock call (using the Microsoft Windows default WinSock on Win95, Win98 and WinNT4), the OS automatically initiates RAS. I'm sure that under other (more popular) usages, this is the desired result. Not in my case.
I want to be able to regularly "poll" the system to automatically detect when the machine is and is not connected to the Internet. I do not want RAS to start if the machine is not already on-line.
Also, the solution must work on all possible scenarios: a machine that uses DUN to connect to an ISP, a machine on a LAN that connects directly to the Internet, and a machine on a proxy LAN, and in all cases on the above listed operating systems.
My dream function would be similar to "GetINetStatus()" (fictitious name) that does not instigate an automatic connection process.

Does this exist? I figure it must; I just can't find it. Simply put, the OS (or just the WinSock) knows when to start DUN because the machine is off-line. I need to know what the OS (or just the WinSock) knows.

Thank you for your time,

Bill K.