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TCP/IP Ports and Sockets Explained: The Use of Ports Allow Computers/devices To Run Multiple Services/applications

The document explains that TCP/IP ports and sockets allow multiple applications and services to run simultaneously on a single device. Each device requires an IP address for identification, while ports further distinguish applications and services running on that device. Common port numbers are allocated for standard services like web servers (port 80) and email servers (port 25). Ports 0-1023 are designated as well-known ports, while higher ports can be used freely by applications. A socket is defined as the combination of an IP address and port number, uniquely identifying each end of a network connection between devices.

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Mythili Natarajan
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83 views5 pages

TCP/IP Ports and Sockets Explained: The Use of Ports Allow Computers/devices To Run Multiple Services/applications

The document explains that TCP/IP ports and sockets allow multiple applications and services to run simultaneously on a single device. Each device requires an IP address for identification, while ports further distinguish applications and services running on that device. Common port numbers are allocated for standard services like web servers (port 80) and email servers (port 25). Ports 0-1023 are designated as well-known ports, while higher ports can be used freely by applications. A socket is defined as the combination of an IP address and port number, uniquely identifying each end of a network connection between devices.

Uploaded by

Mythili Natarajan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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TCP/IP Ports and Sockets Explained

On a TCP/IP network every device must have an IP address.

The IP address identifies the device e.g. computer.

However an IP address alone is not sufficient for running network applications, as a


computer can runmultiple applications and/or services.

Just as the IP address identifies the computer, The network port identifies
the application or servicerunning on the computer.

The use of ports allow computers/devices to run multiple


services/applications.

The diagram below shows a computer to computer connection and identifies the IP
addresses and ports.
Analogy

If you use a house or apartment block analogy the IP address corresponds to the
street address.

All of the apartments share the same street address.

However each apartment also has an apartment number which corresponds to the
Port number.

Port Number Ranges and Well Known Ports

A port number uses 16 bits and so can therefore have a value


from 0 to 65535 decimal

Port numbers are divided into ranges as follows:

Port numbers 0-1023 – Well known ports. These are allocated to server
services by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). e.g Web servers
normally use port 80 and SMTP servers use port 25 (see diagram above).

Ports 1024-49151- Registered Port -These can be registered for services with
the IANA and should be treated as semi-reserved. User written programs should
not use these ports.
Ports 49152-65535– These are used by client programs and you are free to use
these in client programs. When a Web browser connects to a web server the
browser will allocate itself a port in this range. Also known as ephemeral ports.

TCP Sockets

A connection between two computers uses a socket.

A socket is the combination of IP address plus port

{outline]Each end of the connection will have a socket.{/outline]

Imagine sitting on your PC at home, and you have two browser windows open.

One looking at the Google website, and the other at the Yahoo website.

The connection to Google would be:

Your PC – IP1+port 60200 ——– Google IP2 +port 80 (standard port)

The combination IP1+60200 = the socket on the client computer and IP2 + port
80 = destination socket on the Google server.

The connection to Yahoo would be:

your PC – IP1+port 60401 ——–Yahoo IP3 +port 80 (standard port)

The combination IP1+60401 = the socket on the client computer and IP3 + port
80 = destination socket on the Yahoo server.

Notes: IP1 is the IP address of your PC. Client port numbers are dynamically
assigned, and can be reused once the session is closed.

TCP and UDP -The Transport Layer

Note: You may find reading the article on the TCP/IP protocol suite useful to
understand the following

IP addresses are implemented at the networking layer which is the IP layer.

Ports are implemented at the transport layer as part of the TCP or UDP header as
shown in the schematic below:
The TCP/IP protocol supports two types of port- TCP Port and UDP Port.

TCP – is for connection orientated applications. It has built in error checking and will
re transmit missing packets.

UDP – is for connection less applications. It has no has built in error checking
and will not re transmit missing packets.

Applications are designed to use either the UDP or TCP transport layer protocol
depending on the type of connection they require.

For example a web server normally uses TCP port 80.

It can use any port, but the web server application is designed to use a TCP
connection. See TCP vs UDP

Here is a very good video that explains ports and sockets really well

Checking For Open Ports


Windows and Linux systems have a utility called netstat which will give you a list of
open ports on your computer.

These articles show you how to use netstat on windows and on linux.

You can check the port status of remote machines using a port scanner line nmap.

You can install NMAP on windows,Linux and Apple. It can be used with a graphical
user interface of as a command line tool.

Here is a useful article on using NMAP from the command line.

Here is a good video on using Nmap and also covers TCP/IP connection procedures
which is useful for understanding ports.

References and resources:

TCP and UDP basics -Connecting to a website- This is for programmers but there is
no coding just an explanation of ports and sockets.

Connection states– if you are wondering what established and listening and the
other state descriptions mean. here is a good state diagram that it refers to.

Online port tester Collection of tools for port scanning and web server testing.

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