Rube, unless I miss my guess, the program Cute FTP is a separate FTP program from WS FTP Pro, isn't it? Anyway, that one doesn't connect, either.

Additionally, I am able to FTP with this laptop via a browser, so it would not appear that anything IS blocking the laptop from using FTP, but there IS something blocking it from using FTP with a program such as WS FTP Pro or Cute FTP. I don't have any way of connecting it to my DSL connection as the internal nic doesn't work, nor has it ever worked (there was an extensive thread on this forum some months back in a futile attempt to get that thing going--it failed). Dialup is its only method of connection.

I am not running a firewall. I do not have Spybot or any such programs running. I have disabled my virus protection and still it will not connect.

I know there is some configuration issue on the laptop itself causing this curious problem. I'm on my way home shortly to try Chris' last suggestion and will post back.