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📘 Commonly Used Port Numbers on Servers

When managing a server, it's crucial to understand the significance of different port numbers. Ports are numerical labels used in networking to route data to the correct application on a server. Each service that runs on a server typically listens on a specific port.

📑 Table of Contents

  1. 🌐 HTTP (Port 80)
  2. 🔒 HTTPS (Port 443)
  3. ✉️ SMTP (Port 25)
  4. 📬 IMAP (Port 143)
  5. 📫 IMAPS (Port 993)
  6. 📩 POP3 (Port 110)
  7. 📧 POP3S (Port 995)
  8. 💻 SSH (Port 22)
  9. 📡 DNS (Port 53)
  10. 🔄 FTP (Port 21)
  11. 📶 DHCP (Ports 67 and 68)
  12. 📝 Syslog (Port 514)

🌐 HTTP (Port 80)

  • Protocol: Hypertext Transfer Protocol
  • Usage: HTTP is used for unencrypted web traffic, allowing clients (browsers) to communicate with web servers. It’s the standard port for most websites that don’t use encryption.

🔒 HTTPS (Port 443)

  • Protocol: Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure
  • Usage: HTTPS is the secure version of HTTP, providing encrypted communication between the client and server. It’s widely used to protect sensitive data, like login credentials and payment information.

✉️ SMTP (Port 25)

  • Protocol: Simple Mail Transfer Protocol
  • Usage: SMTP is the standard protocol for sending emails across the Internet. It is used by mail servers to send and relay outgoing emails.

📬 IMAP (Port 143)

  • Protocol: Internet Message Access Protocol
  • Usage: IMAP is used for retrieving emails from a mail server, allowing users to view and manage their emails without downloading them.

📫 IMAPS (Port 993)

  • Protocol: Internet Message Access Protocol Secure
  • Usage: IMAPS is the secure version of IMAP, encrypting the retrieval of emails from a mail server.

📩 POP3 (Port 110)

  • Protocol: Post Office Protocol version 3
  • Usage: POP3 is another protocol for retrieving emails from a mail server, typically downloading the emails to the client.

📧 POP3S (Port 995)

  • Protocol: Post Office Protocol version 3 Secure
  • Usage: POP3S is the secure version of POP3, encrypting the retrieval of emails from a mail server.

💻 SSH (Port 22)

  • Protocol: Secure Shell
  • Usage: SSH is used for securely logging into a remote server and executing commands over an encrypted connection. It's essential for remote server management.

📡 DNS (Port 53)

  • Protocol: Domain Name System
  • Usage: DNS translates domain names into IP addresses, enabling users to access websites using human-readable names instead of numeric IP addresses.

🔄 FTP (Port 21)

  • Protocol: File Transfer Protocol
  • Usage: FTP is used for transferring files between a client and server. It allows users to upload, download, and manage files on a server.

📶 DHCP (Ports 67 and 68)

  • Protocol: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol
  • Usage: DHCP automatically assigns IP addresses and other network configuration parameters to devices on a network, ensuring proper communication on the network.

📝 Syslog (Port 514)

  • Protocol: Syslog
  • Usage: Syslog is used for forwarding log messages in an IP network. It is commonly used for centralized logging, where a server collects logs from various devices (like routers, switches, and servers) across the network.