function connect ($server, $port = 110)  {
        //  Opens a socket to the specified server. Unless overridden,
        //  port defaults to 110. Returns true on success, false on fail

        // If MAILSERVER is set, override $server with its value.

    if (!isset($port) || !$port) {$port = 110;}
        if(!empty($this->MAILSERVER))
            $server = $this->MAILSERVER;

        if(empty($server)){
            $this->ERROR = "POP3 connect: " . _("No server specified");
            unset($this->FP);
            return false;
        }

        $fp = @fsockopen("$server", $port, $errno, $errstr);

        if(!$fp) {
            $this->ERROR = "POP3 connect: " . _("Error ") . "[$errno] [$errstr]";
            unset($this->FP);
            return false;
        }

        socket_set_blocking($fp,-1);
        $this->update_timer();
        $reply = fgets($fp,$this->BUFFER);
        $reply = $this->strip_clf($reply);
        if($this->DEBUG)
            error_log("POP3 SEND [connect: $server] GOT [$reply]",0);
        if(!$this->is_ok($reply)) {
            $this->ERROR = "POP3 connect: " . _("Error ") . "[$reply]";
            unset($this->FP);
            return false;
        }
        $this->FP = $fp;
        $this->BANNER = $this->parse_banner($reply);
        return true;
    }