new insallation, can't connect to mysql.sock error

[Ctx-I]

ok, this is frustrating as hell.... i've read thru the installation instructions thoroughly, and felt I was ready to install Vbulletin on my site…..but every time I get to step 3, I get:
“Error description: mysql_connect(): Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock'”
First I thought I had an error in the config.php file, like the vbulletin installer suggests, so I double & triple checked that. Everything is exactly as my “webhost” suggests…. Second I thought it was mysql server, and logon on to my SQL admin, and it says the server has been running since Dec, 10 2005. so I don’t know what else to do… other then sit on my butt and wait for business hours for my webhost…..

oh, the server is using mysql-4.0.22-r2 and is running Gentoo Linux