$cfgserver = "your.news.host";
$cfgport = 119;
$cfgtimeout = 10;

// open a socket
if(!$cfgtimeout)
// without timeout
$usenet_handle = fsockopen($cfgserver, $cfgport);
else
// with timeout
$usenet_handle = fsockopen($cfgserver, $cfgport, &$errno, &$errstr, $cfgtimeout);

if(!$usenet_handle) {
echo "connexion failed\n";
exit();
}
else {
echo "connected\n";
$tmp = fgets($usenet_handle, 1024);
}