(java.net.SocketException) caught when connecting to the target host: Invalid argument: connect

I encountered the above error (more complete listing at end of post) on a new Windows 7 64 bit machine that I'm in the process of setting up. I originally encountered problems running mvn against a few projects that I had moved from an XP machine and decided to troubleshoot using the following basic command from Maven By Example that is used to create a simple project:

mvn archetype:generate -DgroupId=org.sonatype.mavenbook.simple -DartifactId=simple -Dpackage=org.sonatype -Dversion=1.0-SNAPSHOT

I've tried this with both the 32 & 64 bit versions of JDK 7u5. I tried Maven versions 2.2.1, 3.0.3 and 3.0.4 (output below is from 3.0.4). I've also tried it with Windows Firewall completely disabled and AV completely removed. I'm connected via Verizon FIOS with the default router setup. Maven works fine on the other XP machine on the same network.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Gary

Truncated output follows (I can send complete output if necessary); note - the error repeats for each of the following plugins:
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:2.4.1
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-install-plugin:2.3.1
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-deploy-plugin:2.7
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-site-plugin:3.0
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-antrun-plugin:1.3
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-assembly-plugin:2.2-beta-5
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-dependency-plugin:2.1
org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-release-plugin:2.0

Output:

C:\workspace\ch-simple>mvn archetype:generate -DgroupId=org.sonatype.mavenbook.simple -DartifactId=simple -Dpackage=org.sonatype -Dversion=1.0-SNAPSHOT -e -X
Apache Maven 3.0.4 (r1232337; 2012-01-17 03:44:56-0500)
Maven home: C:\Tools\apache-maven
Java version: 1.7.0_05, vendor: Oracle Corporation
Java home: C:\Program Files (x86)\Java\jdk1.7.0_05\jre
Default locale: en_US, platform encoding: Cp1252
OS name: "windows 7", version: "6.1", arch: "x86", family: "windows"
[INFO] Error stacktraces are turned on.
[DEBUG] Reading global settings from C:\Tools\apache-maven\conf\settings.xml
[DEBUG] Reading user settings from C:\Users\Gary\.m2\settings.xml
[DEBUG] Using local repository at C:\Users\Gary\.m2\repository
[DEBUG] Using manager EnhancedLocalRepositoryManager with priority 10 for C:\Users\Gary\.m2\repository
[INFO] Scanning for projects...
[DEBUG] Extension realms for project org.apache.maven:standalone-pom:pom:1: (none)
[DEBUG] Looking up lifecyle mappings for packaging pom from ClassRealm[plexus.core, parent: null]
[DEBUG] Resolving plugin prefix archetype from [org.apache.maven.plugins, org.codehaus.mojo]
[DEBUG] Using connector WagonRepositoryConnector with priority 0 for http://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2
Downloading: http://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2/org/apache/maven/plugins/maven-clean-plugin/2.4.1/maven-clean-plugin-2.4.1.pom
Aug 03, 2012 8:00:44 AM org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector tryConnect
INFO: I/O exception (java.net.SocketException) caught when connecting to the target host: Invalid argument: connect
Aug 03, 2012 8:00:44 AM org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector tryConnect
INFO: Retrying connect
Aug 03, 2012 8:00:44 AM org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector tryConnect
INFO: I/O exception (java.net.SocketException) caught when connecting to the target host: Invalid argument: connect
Aug 03, 2012 8:00:44 AM org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector tryConnect
INFO: Retrying connect
Aug 03, 2012 8:00:44 AM org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector tryConnect
INFO: I/O exception (java.net.SocketException) caught when connecting to the target host: Invalid argument: connect
Aug 03, 2012 8:00:44 AM org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector tryConnect
INFO: Retrying connect
[DEBUG] Writing resolution tracking file C:\Users\Gary\.m2\repository\org\apache\maven\plugins\maven-clean-plugin\2.4.1\maven-clean-plugin-2.4.1.pom.lastUpdated
[WARNING] Failed to retrieve plugin descriptor for org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:2.4.1: Plugin org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:2.4.1 or one of its dependencies could not be resolved: Failed to read artifact descriptor for org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:jar:2.4.1
org.apache.maven.plugin.PluginResolutionException: Plugin org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:2.4.1 or one of its dependencies could not be resolved: Failed to read artifact descriptor for org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:jar:2.4.1
at org.apache.maven.plugin.internal.DefaultPluginDependenciesResolver.resolve(DefaultPluginDependenciesResolver.java:129)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.internal.DefaultMavenPluginManager.getPluginDescriptor(DefaultMavenPluginManager.java:142)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.DefaultBuildPluginManager.loadPlugin(DefaultBuildPluginManager.java:59)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.prefix.internal.DefaultPluginPrefixResolver.resolveFromProject(DefaultPluginPrefixResolver.java:139)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.prefix.internal.DefaultPluginPrefixResolver.resolveFromProject(DefaultPluginPrefixResolver.java:122)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.prefix.internal.DefaultPluginPrefixResolver.resolve(DefaultPluginPrefixResolver.java:86)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoDescriptorCreator.findPluginForPrefix(MojoDescriptorCreator.java:262)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.MojoDescriptorCreator.getMojoDescriptor(MojoDescriptorCreator.java:222)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.DefaultLifecycleTaskSegmentCalculator.calculateTaskSegments(DefaultLifecycleTaskSegmentCalculator.java:106)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.DefaultLifecycleTaskSegmentCalculator.calculateTaskSegments(DefaultLifecycleTaskSegmentCalculator.java:86)
at org.apache.maven.lifecycle.internal.LifecycleStarter.execute(LifecycleStarter.java:98)
at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.doExecute(DefaultMaven.java:320)
at org.apache.maven.DefaultMaven.execute(DefaultMaven.java:156)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.execute(MavenCli.java:537)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.doMain(MavenCli.java:196)
at org.apache.maven.cli.MavenCli.main(MavenCli.java:141)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke0(Native Method)
at sun.reflect.NativeMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(NativeMethodAccessorImpl.java:57)
at sun.reflect.DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.invoke(DelegatingMethodAccessorImpl.java:43)
at java.lang.reflect.Method.invoke(Method.java:601)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launchEnhanced(Launcher.java:290)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.launch(Launcher.java:230)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.mainWithExitCode(Launcher.java:409)
at org.codehaus.plexus.classworlds.launcher.Launcher.main(Launcher.java:352)
Caused by: org.sonatype.aether.resolution.ArtifactDescriptorException: Failed to read artifact descriptor for org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:jar:2.4.1
at org.apache.maven.repository.internal.DefaultArtifactDescriptorReader.loadPom(DefaultArtifactDescriptorReader.java:296)
at org.apache.maven.repository.internal.DefaultArtifactDescriptorReader.readArtifactDescriptor(DefaultArtifactDescriptorReader.java:186)
at org.sonatype.aether.impl.internal.DefaultRepositorySystem.readArtifactDescriptor(DefaultRepositorySystem.java:279)
at org.apache.maven.plugin.internal.DefaultPluginDependenciesResolver.resolve(DefaultPluginDependenciesResolver.java:115)
... 23 more
Caused by: org.sonatype.aether.resolution.ArtifactResolutionException: Could not transfer artifact org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:pom:2.4.1 from/to central (http://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2): Invalid argument: connect
at org.sonatype.aether.impl.internal.DefaultArtifactResolver.resolve(DefaultArtifactResolver.java:538)
at org.sonatype.aether.impl.internal.DefaultArtifactResolver.resolveArtifacts(DefaultArtifactResolver.java:216)
at org.sonatype.aether.impl.internal.DefaultArtifactResolver.resolveArtifact(DefaultArtifactResolver.java:193)
at org.apache.maven.repository.internal.DefaultArtifactDescriptorReader.loadPom(DefaultArtifactDescriptorReader.java:281)
... 26 more
Caused by: org.sonatype.aether.transfer.ArtifactTransferException: Could not transfer artifact org.apache.maven.plugins:maven-clean-plugin:pom:2.4.1 from/to central (http://repo.maven.apache.org/maven2): Invalid argument: connect
at org.sonatype.aether.connector.wagon.WagonRepositoryConnector$4.wrap(WagonRepositoryConnector.java:951)
at org.sonatype.aether.connector.wagon.WagonRepositoryConnector$4.wrap(WagonRepositoryConnector.java:941)
at org.sonatype.aether.connector.wagon.WagonRepositoryConnector$GetTask.run(WagonRepositoryConnector.java:669)
at org.sonatype.aether.util.concurrency.RunnableErrorForwarder$1.run(RunnableErrorForwarder.java:60)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor.runWorker(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:1110)
at java.util.concurrent.ThreadPoolExecutor$Worker.run(ThreadPoolExecutor.java:603)
at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:722)
Caused by: org.apache.maven.wagon.TransferFailedException: Invalid argument: connect
at org.apache.maven.wagon.shared.http4.AbstractHttpClientWagon.fillInputData(AbstractHttpClientWagon.java:799)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.StreamWagon.getInputStream(StreamWagon.java:116)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.StreamWagon.getIfNewer(StreamWagon.java:88)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.StreamWagon.get(StreamWagon.java:61)
at org.sonatype.aether.connector.wagon.WagonRepositoryConnector$GetTask.run(WagonRepositoryConnector.java:601)
... 4 more
Caused by: java.net.SocketException: Invalid argument: connect
at java.net.DualStackPlainSocketImpl.connect0(Native Method)
at java.net.DualStackPlainSocketImpl.socketConnect(DualStackPlainSocketImpl.java:69)
at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.doConnect(AbstractPlainSocketImpl.java:339)
at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.connectToAddress(AbstractPlainSocketImpl.java:200)
at java.net.AbstractPlainSocketImpl.connect(AbstractPlainSocketImpl.java:182)
at java.net.PlainSocketImpl.connect(PlainSocketImpl.java:157)
at java.net.SocksSocketImpl.connect(SocksSocketImpl.java:391)
at java.net.Socket.connect(Socket.java:579)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.conn.scheme.PlainSocketFactory.connectSocket(PlainSocketFactory.java:123)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.conn.DefaultClientConnectionOperator.openConnection(DefaultClientConnectionOperator.java:148)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.conn.AbstractPoolEntry.open(AbstractPoolEntry.java:149)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.conn.AbstractPooledConnAdapter.open(AbstractPooledConnAdapter.java:121)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector.tryConnect(DefaultRequestDirector.java:573)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.DefaultRequestDirector.execute(DefaultRequestDirector.java:425)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.AbstractHttpClient.execute(AbstractHttpClient.java:820)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.providers.http.httpclient.impl.client.AbstractHttpClient.execute(AbstractHttpClient.java:754)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.shared.http4.AbstractHttpClientWagon.execute(AbstractHttpClientWagon.java:674)
at org.apache.maven.wagon.shared.http4.AbstractHttpClientWagon.fillInputData(AbstractHttpClientWagon.java:793)
... 8 more

You might need Maven to use a proxy, see http://maven.apache.org/guides/mini/guide-proxies.html (this is assuming you are not behind a corporate firewall that is blocking access to Maven Central))

Thanks for the suggestion Peter.

I discovered a solution from a response to my post on the main Maven user forum. They suggested that I had run into an IPv4 vs IPv6 incompatibility problem and recommended either disabling IPv6 on my network adapter or using the -Djava.net.preferIPv4Stack=true VM arg. I tried disabling the network adapter and that had no effect but the VM arg (via _JAVA_OPTIONS env variable) solved the problem.