diff --git a/src/libCom/os/WIN32/dllmain.cc b/src/libCom/os/WIN32/dllmain.cc
index c4eca43b9..ff294bdad 100644
--- a/src/libCom/os/WIN32/dllmain.cc
+++ b/src/libCom/os/WIN32/dllmain.cc
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#include "epicsVersion.h"
+
 #ifndef _WIN32
 #error This source is specific to WIN32 
 #endif
@@ -56,20 +58,35 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HANDLE hModule, DWORD dwReason, LPVOID lpReserved)
 		/* for gui applications, setup console for error messages */
 		if (AllocConsole())
 		{
-			SetConsoleTitle("Channel Access Status");
+			SetConsoleTitle(BASE_VERSION_STRING);
 			freopen( "CONOUT$", "a", stderr );
+			fprintf(stderr, "Process attached to Com.dll version %s\n", EPICS_VERSION_STRING);
 		}
 #endif	 		
 		if (init_osi_time ())
 			return FALSE;
+
 		/*
 		 * for use of select() by the fd managers
 		 */
-		if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2,0), &WsaData) != 0) {
-			WSACleanup();
-			fprintf(stderr,"libCom unable to init winsock\n");
-			return FALSE;
+		if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(/*major*/2,/*minor*/2), &WsaData) != 0) {
+			/*
+			 * The winsock I & II doc indicate that these steps are not required,
+			 * but experience at some sites proves otherwise. Perhaps some vendors 
+			 * do not follow the protocol described in the doc.
+			 */
+			if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(/*major*/1,/*minor*/1), &WsaData) != 0) {
+				if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(/*major*/1,/*minor*/0), &WsaData) != 0) {
+					WSACleanup();
+					fprintf(stderr,"Unable to attach to winsock version 2.2 or lower\n");
+					return FALSE;
+				}
+			}
 		}
+
+#if _DEBUG			  
+		fprintf(stderr, "EPICS Com.dll attached to winsock version %s\n", WsaData.szDescription);
+#endif	
 		break;
 	case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
 		exit_osi_time ();
diff --git a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/dllmain.cpp b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/dllmain.cpp
index c4eca43b9..ff294bdad 100644
--- a/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/dllmain.cpp
+++ b/src/libCom/osi/os/WIN32/dllmain.cpp
@@ -38,6 +38,8 @@
 #include <windows.h>
 #include <stdio.h>
 
+#include "epicsVersion.h"
+
 #ifndef _WIN32
 #error This source is specific to WIN32 
 #endif
@@ -56,20 +58,35 @@ BOOL WINAPI DllMain(HANDLE hModule, DWORD dwReason, LPVOID lpReserved)
 		/* for gui applications, setup console for error messages */
 		if (AllocConsole())
 		{
-			SetConsoleTitle("Channel Access Status");
+			SetConsoleTitle(BASE_VERSION_STRING);
 			freopen( "CONOUT$", "a", stderr );
+			fprintf(stderr, "Process attached to Com.dll version %s\n", EPICS_VERSION_STRING);
 		}
 #endif	 		
 		if (init_osi_time ())
 			return FALSE;
+
 		/*
 		 * for use of select() by the fd managers
 		 */
-		if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(2,0), &WsaData) != 0) {
-			WSACleanup();
-			fprintf(stderr,"libCom unable to init winsock\n");
-			return FALSE;
+		if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(/*major*/2,/*minor*/2), &WsaData) != 0) {
+			/*
+			 * The winsock I & II doc indicate that these steps are not required,
+			 * but experience at some sites proves otherwise. Perhaps some vendors 
+			 * do not follow the protocol described in the doc.
+			 */
+			if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(/*major*/1,/*minor*/1), &WsaData) != 0) {
+				if (WSAStartup(MAKEWORD(/*major*/1,/*minor*/0), &WsaData) != 0) {
+					WSACleanup();
+					fprintf(stderr,"Unable to attach to winsock version 2.2 or lower\n");
+					return FALSE;
+				}
+			}
 		}
+
+#if _DEBUG			  
+		fprintf(stderr, "EPICS Com.dll attached to winsock version %s\n", WsaData.szDescription);
+#endif	
 		break;
 	case DLL_PROCESS_DETACH:
 		exit_osi_time ();