VB.NET: TCP Client Socket timeout? - vb.net

Question

I have a TCP Client socket that connects to a server when Form1 loads. I need a way for the client socket to "give up" trying to connect to the remote server if it takes too long to connect. i.e Time out after 30 seconds.
Currently when the socket cannot connect to the server for what ever reason the form will appear to freeze up until the server can be reached.
Its probably worth noting im using System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient()
Here is My Sub for creating the connection:
Public serverStream As NetworkStream
Public clientSocket As New System.Net.Sockets.TcpClient()
Public Sub CreateTCPConnection()
Try
clientSocket.Connect(System.Net.IPAddress.Parse(My.Settings.ServerIP), My.Settings.ServerPort)
ConnectionStatusLbl.Text = "Connection: Connected"
ConnectionStatusPB.Image = My.Resources.LED_Green
'This should work according to MSDN but does not
clientSocket.SendTimeout = 3000
clientSocket.ReceiveTimeout = 3000
UpdateTimer.Start()
Catch ex As Exception
ConnectionStatusLbl.Text = "Connection: Not Connected"
ConnectionStatusPB.Image = My.Resources.LED_Red
clientSocket.Close()
MsgBox(ex.ToString)
End Try
End Sub

Answer 1

You could thread the whole CreateTCPConnectionfunction, then you use a Timer in the Mainthread to abort the thread after X Seconds, if a public boolean is not setted to true.
Pseudo Code for the thread initialization:
Dim isConnected as Boolean
Private Sub Form1_Load( _
ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) _
Handles MyBase.Load
isConnected = false;
trd = New Thread(AddressOf CreateTCPConnection)
trd.IsBackground = True
//Afer the start function the thread tries to connect asyncron to your server
trd.Start()
Timer timer = new Timer();
//Start the timer to check the boolean
myTimer.Tick += new EventHandler(TimerEventProcessor);
myTimer.Start()
End Sub
Private Sub CreateTCPConnection()
//Your Connection method
End Sub
//Checks the isConnected status each second. If isConnected is false and 3 seconds are reached, the thread gets aborted.
Private Sub TimerEventProcessor(Object myObject,
EventArgs myEventArgs)
if(myEventArgs.elapsedTime >= 3 AND isConnected == false) Then
trd.Abort();
End if
End Sub
This is a small workaround.