# SocketConnect

Connect to the server with timeout control.

```
bool  SocketConnect(
   int           socket,               // socket
   const string  server,               // connection address
   uint          port,                 // connection port
   uint          timeout_receive_ms    // connection timeout
   );

```

Parameters

socket

[in]  Socket handle returned by the [SocketCreate](/en/docs/network/socketcreate) function. When an incorrect handle is passed, the error 5270 (ERR_NETSOCKET_INVALIDHANDLE) is written to [_LastError](/en/docs/predefined/_lasterror).

server

[in]  Domain name of the server you want to connect to or its IP address.

port

[in]  Connection port number.

timeout_receive_ms

[in]  Connection timeout in milliseconds. If connection is not established within that time interval, attempts are stopped.

Return Value

If connection is successful, return true, otherwise false.

Note

Connection address should be added to the list of allowed ones on the client terminal side (Tools \ Options \ Expert Advisors).

If connection fails, error 5272 (ERR_NETSOCKET_CANNOT_CONNECT) is written to [_LastError](/en/docs/predefined/_lasterror).

The function can be called only from Expert Advisors and scripts, as they run in their own execution threads. If calling from an indicator, [GetLastError()](/en/docs/check/getlasterror) returns the error 4014 – "Function is not allowed for call".

Example:

```
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//|                                                SocketExample.mq5 |
//|                        Copyright 2018, MetaQuotes Software Corp. |
//|                                             https://www.mql5.com |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
#property copyright   "Copyright 2000-2024, MetaQuotes Ltd."
#property link        "https://www.mql5.com"
#property version     "1.00"
#property description "Add Address to the list of allowed ones in the terminal settings to let the example work"
#property script_show_inputs
 
input string Address="www.mql5.com";
input int    Port   =80;
bool         ExtTLS =false;
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Send command to the server                                       |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
bool HTTPSend(int socket,string request)
  {
   char req[];
   int  len=StringToCharArray(request,req)-1;
   if(len<0)
      return(false);
//--- if secure TLS connection is used via the port 443
   if(ExtTLS)
      return(SocketTlsSend(socket,req,len)==len);
//--- if standard TCP connection is used
   return(SocketSend(socket,req,len)==len);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Read server response                                             |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
bool HTTPRecv(int socket,uint timeout)
  {
   char   rsp[];
   string result;
   uint   timeout_check=GetTickCount()+timeout;
//--- read data from sockets till they are still present but not longer than timeout
   do
     {
      uint len=SocketIsReadable(socket);
      if(len)
        {
         int rsp_len;
         //--- various reading commands depending on whether the connection is secure or not
         if(ExtTLS)
            rsp_len=SocketTlsRead(socket,rsp,len);
         else
            rsp_len=SocketRead(socket,rsp,len,timeout);
         //--- analyze the response
         if(rsp_len>0)
           {
            result+=CharArrayToString(rsp,0,rsp_len);
            //--- print only the response header
            int header_end=StringFind(result,"\r\n\r\n");
            if(header_end>0)
              {
               Print("HTTP answer header received:");
               Print(StringSubstr(result,0,header_end));
               return(true);
              }
           }
        }
     }
   while(GetTickCount()<timeout_check && !IsStopped());
   return(false);
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
//| Script program start function                                    |
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+
void OnStart()
  {
   int socket=SocketCreate();
//--- check the handle
   if(socket!=INVALID_HANDLE)
     {
      //--- connect if all is well
      if(SocketConnect(socket,Address,Port,1000))
        {
         Print("Established connection to ",Address,":",Port);
 
         string   subject,issuer,serial,thumbprint;
         datetime expiration;
         //--- if connection is secured by the certificate, display its data
         if(SocketTlsCertificate(socket,subject,issuer,serial,thumbprint,expiration))
           {
            Print("TLS certificate:");
            Print("   Owner:  ",subject);
            Print("   Issuer:  ",issuer);
            Print("   Number:     ",serial);
            Print("   Print: ",thumbprint);
            Print("   Expiration: ",expiration);
            ExtTLS=true;
           }
         //--- send GET request to the server
         if(HTTPSend(socket,"GET / HTTP/1.1\r\nHost: www.mql5.com\r\nUser-Agent: MT5\r\n\r\n"))
           {
            Print("GET request sent");
            //--- read the response
            if(!HTTPRecv(socket,1000))
               Print("Failed to get a response, error ",GetLastError());
           }
         else
            Print("Failed to send GET request, error ",GetLastError());
        }
      else
        {
         Print("Connection to ",Address,":",Port," failed, error ",GetLastError());
        }
      //--- close a socket after using
      SocketClose(socket);
     }
   else
      Print("Failed to create a socket, error ",GetLastError());
  }
//+------------------------------------------------------------------+

```