Commonly Used Ports and Protocols in Computer Networking
Ports are used to uniquely identify different communication channels in computer networking. Here are some commonly used ports along with their associated protocols and real-time usage examples:
Port 80 (HTTP): This port is used for unencrypted web traffic. Real-time usage example: When you access a regular website without using HTTPS, your web browser communicates with the web server over port 80.
Port 443 (HTTPS): This port is used for secure web traffic using SSL/TLS encryption. Real-time usage example: When you access a secure website that uses HTTPS, your web browser communicates with the web server over port 443.
Port 21 (FTP): This port is used for File Transfer Protocol (FTP) traffic. Real-time usage example: When you upload or download files to or from an FTP server, the communication occurs over port 21.
Port 25 (SMTP): This port is used for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) traffic, which is used for sending email. Real-time usage example: When an email server sends an email to another email server, it uses port 25 for communication.
Port 22 (SSH): This port is used for Secure Shell (SSH) traffic, which provides secure access to a remote computer. Real-time usage example: When you use SSH to remotely access and manage a server, the communication occurs over port 22.
Port 53 (DNS): This port is used for Domain Name System (DNS) traffic, which translates domain names to IP addresses. Real-time usage example: When your computer looks up the IP address of a website, it communicates with a DNS server over port 53.
Port 110 (POP3): This port is used for Post Office Protocol version 3 (POP3) traffic, which is used for retrieving emails from a mail server. Real-time usage example: When you configure an email client to retrieve emails from a mail server, it communicates over port 110 using POP3.
Port 143 (IMAP): This port is used for Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) traffic, which is another protocol used for retrieving emails from a mail server. Real-time usage example: When you access your emails using an email client that utilizes IMAP, the communication occurs over port 143.
Port 389 (LDAP): This port is used for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP) traffic, which is used for accessing directory information. Real-time usage example: When an application needs to access directory information, it communicates with an LDAP server over port 389.
Port 465 (SMTPS): This port is used for SMTP over SSL (SMTPS) traffic, which is a secure version of SMTP. Real-time usage example: When an email client sends emails using SMTP with SSL/TLS encryption, it communicates with the email server over port 465.
Port 993 (IMAPS): This port is used for IMAP over SSL (IMAPS) traffic, which is the secure version of IMAP. Real-time usage example: When an email client retrieves emails securely using IMAP, it communicates with the mail server over port 993.
Port 995 (POP3S): This port is used for POP3 over SSL (POP3S) traffic, which is the secure version of POP3. Real-time usage example: When an email client retrieves emails securely using POP3, it communicates with the mail server over port 995.
Port 3306 (MySQL): This port is used for MySQL database system traffic. Real-time usage example: When an application communicates with a MySQL database server, it does so over port 3306.
Port 3389 (RDP): This port is used for Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP) traffic, which allows remote access to a computer. Real-time usage example: When you remotely access a Windows computer using RDP, the communication occurs over port 3389.
Port 5432 (PostgreSQL): This port is used for PostgreSQL database system traffic. Real-time usage example: When an application communicates with a PostgreSQL database server, it does so over port 5432.
Port 27017 (MongoDB): This port is used for MongoDB database system traffic. Real-time usage example: When an application communicates with a MongoDB database server, it does so over port 27017.
Port 161 (SNMP): This port is used for Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP) traffic, which is used for network management and monitoring. Real-time usage example: When network devices such as routers, switches, or servers are monitored and managed using SNMP, the communication occurs over port 161.
Port 4433 (HTTPS Alt): This port is an alternative port for secure web traffic using SSL/TLS encryption. Real-time usage example: Some applications or services may use port 4433 as an alternative port for secure web traffic.
Port 8080 (HTTP Alt): This port is often used as an alternative port for unencrypted web traffic. Real-time usage example: Some web servers or applications may use port 8080 as an alternative port for serving web content.
Port 8443 (HTTPS Alt): This port is another alternative port for secure web traffic using SSL/TLS encryption. Real-time usage example: Some applications or services may use port 8443 as an alternative port for secure web traffic.
These are just a few examples of commonly used ports and their real-time usage. There are many other ports and protocols used for various types of network communication, each serving a specific purpose in the world of computer networking.