trying to get simple connection to irc

im trying to send a logon string to a irc server and capture the return how do i do this

ive been trying with the below code but it does not work...

            Connect(txtServer.Text, txtPort.Text, "NICK " & txtBaseNick.Text & Index & vbLf & "USER TEST tst text :text" & Index & vbLf & "PONG :mkv" & vbLf & "JOIN " & txtChannel.Text & vbLf)


   Sub Connect(ByVal server As [String], ByVal irc_port As Int32, ByVal message As [String])
        Try
            ' Create a TcpClient.
            ' Note, for this client to work you need to have a TcpServer
            ' connected to the same address as specified by the server, port
            ' combination.
            Dim port As Int32 = irc_port
            Dim client As New TcpClient(server, port)

            ' Translate the passed message into ASCII and store it as a Byte array.
            Dim data As [Byte]() = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(message)

            ' Get a client stream for reading and writing.
            '  Stream stream = client.GetStream();
            Dim stream As NetworkStream = client.GetStream()

            ' Send the message to the connected TcpServer.
            stream.Write(data, 0, data.Length)

            Console.WriteLine("Sent: {0}", message)
            Form1.ListBox1.Items.Add("Sent: " & message)
            'My.Application.DoEvents()
            ' Receive the TcpServer.response.
            ' Buffer to store the response bytes.
            data = New [Byte](256) {}

            ' String to store the response ASCII representation.
            Dim responseData As [String] = [String].Empty

            ' Read the first batch of the TcpServer response bytes.
            Dim bytes As Int32 = stream.Read(data, 0, data.Length)
            responseData = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetString(data, 0, bytes)
            Console.WriteLine("Received: {0}", responseData)
            Form1.ListBox2.Items.Add("Received: " & responseData)
            'My.Application.DoEvents()
            ' Close everything.
            stream.Close()
            client.Close()
        Catch e As ArgumentNullException
            Console.WriteLine("ArgumentNullException: {0}", e)
        Catch e As SocketException
            Console.WriteLine("SocketException: {0}", e)
        End Try

        'Console.WriteLine(ControlChars.Cr + " Press Enter to continue...")
        'Console.Read()
    End Sub 'Connect