private MulticastSocket openUDPBroadcastSocket(
                                            NetworkInterface pNetworkInterface)
{

    MulticastSocket socket;
    
    try{
        if (!simulateNotchers) {
            socket = new MulticastSocket(4445);
            if (pNetworkInterface != null) {
                try{
                    socket.setNetworkInterface(pNetworkInterface);
                }catch (SocketException e) {return(null);}
            }
        }
        else {socket = new UDPSimulator(4445, "Notcher present...", 4);}

    }
    catch (IOException e) {
        logSevere(e.getMessage() + " - Error: 352");
        tsLog.appendLine("Couldn't create Notcher broadcast socket.");
        return(null);
    }
    
    return(socket);
    
}//end of NotcherGroup::openUDPBroadcastSocket