diff --git a/hardsup/asynsrv_utility.c b/hardsup/asynsrv_utility.c
index 93205646..b8bae76f 100644
--- a/hardsup/asynsrv_utility.c
+++ b/hardsup/asynsrv_utility.c
@@ -1833,4 +1833,209 @@
     if (AsynSrv_errcode == 0) AsynSrv_call_depth--;
     return True;
   }
+/*
+**---------------------------------------------------------------------------
+**		AsynSrv_Force:  Open a connection to an RS-232-C Server.
+**                              Thereby insisting on an own socket.
+*/
+  int	AsynSrv_Force (
+/*	============
+*/		struct AsynSrv__info	*asyn_info) {
+
+    int			    i, status;
+    int			    my_skt;
+    char		    old_time_out[4];
+    union {
+      char  chars[4];
+      int   val;
+    } time_out;
+    char		    buff[128];
+    struct RS__MsgStruct    s_buff;
+    struct RS__RespStruct   r_buff;
+    unsigned int	    oto_len, oto_status;
+    struct hostent	   *rmt_hostent;
+    struct in_addr	   *rmt_inet_addr_pntr;
+    struct in_addr	    rmt_inet_addr;
+    int			    rmt_sockname_len;
+    struct sockaddr_in	    lcl_sockname;
+    struct sockaddr_in	    rmt_sockname;
+
+    char		*errtxt_ptr;
+    int			 errcode, my_errno, my_vaxc_errno;
+/*--------------------------------------------------------
+*/
+    asyn_info->skt = 0;
+/*--------------------------------------------------------
+**			Initialise the error info stack and pre-set the
+**			routine name (in case of error).
+*/
+    AsynSrv_errcode = AsynSrv_errno = AsynSrv_vaxc_errno = 0;
+    strcpy (AsynSrv_routine[0], "AsynSrv_Open");
+    AsynSrv_call_depth = 1;
+/*--------------------------------------------------------
+**		But, before going any further, do some quick checks on
+**		values in asyn_info.
+*/
+    if ((asyn_info->port <= 0) ||
+	(asyn_info->port > 65535)) {
+      AsynSrv_errcode = ASYNSRV__BAD_PAR;	/* Something is bad! */
+      return False;
+    }
+    if (asyn_info->chan < 0)   asyn_info->chan = 0;
+    if (asyn_info->chan > 255) asyn_info->chan = 0;
+/*--------------------------------------------------------
+**		Set up a new connection.
+*/
+		/*---------------------------
+		** Get the Internet address of the server.
+		*/
+    rmt_inet_addr.s_addr = inet_addr (asyn_info->host);
+    if (rmt_inet_addr.s_addr != -1) {
+      rmt_inet_addr_pntr = &rmt_inet_addr;
+    }else {
+      rmt_hostent = gethostbyname (asyn_info->host);
+      if (rmt_hostent == NULL) {
+	AsynSrv_errcode = ASYNSRV__BAD_HOST;
+	GetErrno (&AsynSrv_errno, &AsynSrv_vaxc_errno); /* Save errno info */
+	fprintf (stderr, "\nAsynSrv_Open/gethostbyname: Failed to get Internet "
+		    "address of \"%s\".\n", asyn_info->host);
+	return False;
+      }
+      rmt_inet_addr_pntr = (struct in_addr *) rmt_hostent->h_addr_list[0];
+    }
+		/*---------------------------
+		** Create a TCP/IP socket for connecting to server and bind it.
+		*/
+    my_skt = socket (AF_INET, SOCK_STREAM, 0);
+    if (my_skt <= 0) {
+      AsynSrv_errcode = ASYNSRV__BAD_SOCKET;
+      GetErrno (&AsynSrv_errno, &AsynSrv_vaxc_errno);  /* Save the errno info */
+      fprintf (stderr, "\nAsynSrv_Open/socket: Failed to create a socket.\n");
+      return False;
+    }
+    lcl_sockname.sin_family = AF_INET;
+    lcl_sockname.sin_port   = htons (0);
+    lcl_sockname.sin_addr.s_addr = 0;
+    status = bind (my_skt, (struct sockaddr *) &lcl_sockname,
+					sizeof (lcl_sockname));
+    if (status == -1) {
+      close (my_skt);
+      AsynSrv_errcode = ASYNSRV__BAD_BIND;
+      GetErrno (&AsynSrv_errno, &AsynSrv_vaxc_errno);  /* Save the errno info */
+      fprintf (stderr, "\nAsynSrv_Open/bind: Failed to bind socket.\n");
+      return False;
+    }
+		/*---------------------------
+		** Set short time-out (VMS systems only)
+		*/
+#ifdef	__VMS
+    oto_len = sizeof (old_time_out);	/* Save current time-out first */ 
+    oto_status = getsockopt (my_skt, IPPROTO_TCP, UCX$C_TCP_PROBE_IDLE,
+			    old_time_out, &oto_len);
+
+    if (oto_status == 0) {
+      time_out.val = AsynSrv_connect_tmo;		/* Set new time-out */
+      status = setsockopt (my_skt, IPPROTO_TCP, UCX$C_TCP_PROBE_IDLE,
+			    time_out.chars, sizeof (time_out));
+    }
+#endif
+		/*---------------------------
+		** Connect to RS-232-C Server.
+		*/
+    rmt_sockname_len = sizeof (rmt_sockname);
+    rmt_sockname.sin_family	 = AF_INET;
+    rmt_sockname.sin_port	 = htons (asyn_info->port);
+    rmt_sockname.sin_addr.s_addr = rmt_inet_addr_pntr->s_addr;
+    status = connect (my_skt, (struct sockaddr *) &rmt_sockname,
+				    sizeof (rmt_sockname));
+    if (status != 0) {
+      close (my_skt);
+      AsynSrv_errcode = ASYNSRV__BAD_CONNECT;
+      GetErrno (&AsynSrv_errno, &AsynSrv_vaxc_errno);  /* Save the errno info */
+      fprintf (stderr,
+		    "\nAsynSrv_Open/connect: Failed to connect to server.\n");
+      perror ("AsynSrv_Open");
+      return False;
+    }
+		/*---------------------------
+		** Restore time-out (VMS only)
+		*/
+#ifdef	__VMS
+    if (oto_status == 0) {
+      setsockopt (my_skt, IPPROTO_TCP, UCX$C_TCP_PROBE_IDLE,
+			    old_time_out, oto_len);
+    }
+#endif
+		/*---------------------------------------------------
+		** Setup the defaults in the AsynSrv__info data structure.
+		*/
+    asyn_info->skt = my_skt;	    /* Return socket number to caller */
+
+    asyn_info->protocol_code = 0;   /* Ensure protocol_code set to "unknown" */
+    memcpy (asyn_info->protocol_id, "\0\0\0\0",
+			    sizeof (asyn_info->protocol_id));
+    asyn_info->cmnd_hdr_len = 4;
+    strcpy (asyn_info->cmnd_fmt, "%04d");
+    asyn_info->rply_hdr_len = 4;
+    strcpy (asyn_info->rply_fmt, "%4d");
+
+    sprintf (buff, "%04d", asyn_info->chan);	/* Convert channel # to ASCII */
+    memcpy (asyn_info->chan_char, buff, sizeof (asyn_info->chan_char));
+
+    sprintf (buff, "%04d", AsynSrv_msec_tmo/100);   /* Set dflt time-out ..
+						    ** .. (deci-secs) */
+    memcpy (asyn_info->tmo, buff, sizeof (asyn_info->tmo));
+
+    memcpy (asyn_info->eot, AsynSrv_eot, sizeof (asyn_info->eot)); /* Set ..
+						** .. dflt terminator(s) */
+    asyn_info->max_replies = 0;
+    asyn_info->n_replies = 0;
+		/*
+		** Send a null command buffer to the server. This should give
+		** a "protocol mismatch" error response and from this we can get
+		** the actual protocol level supported by the server.
+		*/
+    status = AsynSrv_SendCmnds (asyn_info, &s_buff, &r_buff, NULL);
+    if (!status && (AsynSrv_errcode == ASYNSRV__BAD_PROT_LVL)) {
+		    /*
+		    ** As expected, we got a "protocol mismatch" error.
+		    ** Save the server's protocol level for future use.
+		    */
+      memcpy (asyn_info->protocol_id, r_buff.s_pcol_lvl,
+		    sizeof (r_buff.s_pcol_lvl));
+      if (strncmp (r_buff.s_pcol_lvl, RS__PROTOCOL_ID_V01B,
+			strlen (RS__PROTOCOL_ID_V01B)) == 0) {
+	asyn_info->protocol_code = RS__PROTOCOL_CODE_V01B;
+	asyn_info->cmnd_hdr_len = 4;
+	strcpy (asyn_info->cmnd_fmt, "%04d");
+	asyn_info->rply_hdr_len = 4;
+	strcpy (asyn_info->rply_fmt, "%4d");
+      }else if (strncmp (r_buff.s_pcol_lvl, RS__PROTOCOL_ID,
+			strlen (RS__PROTOCOL_ID)) == 0) {
+	asyn_info->protocol_code = RS__PROTOCOL_CODE;
+	asyn_info->cmnd_hdr_len = 2;
+	strcpy (asyn_info->cmnd_fmt, "%02d");
+	asyn_info->rply_hdr_len = 2;
+	strcpy (asyn_info->rply_fmt, "%2d");
+      }else {
+	close (my_skt);
+	asyn_info->skt = 0;
+	fprintf (stderr,
+	    "\nAsynSrv_Open: Server protocol level is unrecognised.\n"
+	    "       Server level is \"%4s\"\n", r_buff.s_pcol_lvl);
+	return False;
+      }
+    }else {
+      close (my_skt);
+      asyn_info->skt = 0;
+      AsynSrv_errcode = ASYNSRV__BAD_PROT_LVL;
+      fprintf (stderr,
+	"\nAsynSrv_Open: Problem getting protocol level of Server!\n");
+      return False;
+    }
+    AsynSrv_errcode = AsynSrv_errno = AsynSrv_vaxc_errno = 0;
+    AsynSrv_call_depth = 0;
+    return True;
+  }
+
 /*-------------------------------------------- End of AsynSrv_Utility.C -----*/