Pidgin: Windows Socket error #10061

I am guessing I get this error due to being behind a firewall at my work. Well you can solve this IF the following conditions apply (the way I do it)
1. you have an ssh server running at home
2. have a port at home that is open for outgoing traffic (i think, I am sorry but I don't totally understand how tunneling with putty works. All I know is that the only port open for incoming traffic at my house is for ssh)

This is what you do.
1. Use an ssh client (putty is awesome IMO). Add an auto dynamic tunnel and chose the destination port that's open for outgoing traffic at your house (sorry but not sure exactly why 7070 works for me), i chose 7070. Don't chose a source port. Then make sure you "add" that tunnel. Then save your session so you don't have to keep entering these settings like host, port, auth key etc etc. Connect to your home ssh server so you're looking at a bash shell (or whatever that's called after you successfully login using a ssh client)
2. Open Pidgin, go to the global prefs under tools and under Network, click on the Proxy Server type SOCKS5. Enter 127.0.0.1 for the host and enter your port number (mine was 7070). Leave the username and password blank. Close the Prefs dialog box.
3. Within each account you have to do the same thing as far as the SOCKS5 proxy server. It's done under the advanced tab when setting up an account.

That's it. Now no more windows socket error. YEAH!