OK - here's what I've got so far:-

_____
Public Function IPLookup(ipadd As String) As Variant

Dim sqlString As String
Dim objConn As ADODB.Connection
Dim objRS As ADODB.Recordset

sqlString = "SELECT <valid stuff FROM <valid stuff WHERE <valid
stuff='" & ipadd & "' "

objConn.ConnectionString =
"ODBC;DSN=blah;UID=blah;PWD=blah;APP=Microsoft Office
2003;WSID=blah;DATABASE=blah;"

objConn.Open

Set objRS = New ADODB.Recordset
Set objRS = objConn.Execute(sqlString)

IPLookup = objRS(0).Value

'Release the recordset and connection
objRS.Close
objConn.Close
Set objRS = Nothing
Set objConn = Nothing

End Function
____

this just returns #Value for input parameters i know are correct.

is thtis a type-mismatch issue, or am i missing something else?

Thanks,

Neil.