OK, so you don't need the USB connection, just power (+5 and Ground).
Some prototype boards have the power and ground busses split in the middle. If you are feeding the power in on the left it might not get to the wires on the right. Check that.
Reset (pin 1 of the chip) should connect to +5 through the resistor.
Sometimes a proto board will have a bad connector. Something might not be connecting. Wiggle all the connections. 