Hmm, see if you can get Telnet to install (
http://www.tech-recipes.com/rx/1793/...telnet_client/) on Vista (annoying it isn't installed by default like on XP), and then open a CMD window and type:
telnet
www.google.com 80 and press enter
The command prompt should go blank, if it does type any random junk and press enter twice. Do you get any messages, errors or otherwise? If so, what?