Outbound port 80 problem

Hi

I have he following problem which I cannot understand & solve

Ubuntu server 5.1 behind HW router
I have 2 PHP scripts which require an outbound (http) connection, both fails
(time out, cannot establish connection)

What is working on my server
- firefox browser, browsing to external web sites
- wget www.microsoft.com
- several perl scripts fetching (via http) pages from the internet
- Apache server (and I can connect from outside world to the apache server)

What is NOT working on my server
- The PHP scripts cannot connect to the outside world
- TELNET www.microsoft.com 80

The last one, I do not understand....If I can browse/wget to an external
website, why can I not telnet via port 80 to the same web site??? What am I
missing in my understanding....

I have shutdown iptables....no difference

The HW router allows all outbound connections, and inbound 80 are forwarded
to the server....

What am I missing? Can it be my ISP? But I can browse to ext sites. I can
connect to my apache server....

Thanks!
Hans

Maybe you php safe_mode activated???