Port Scanner (2024)

The advanced port scanner tool, which is essentially an open port checker, will provide you with information regarding valid methods of connecting to a network. Scan your network for open ports with this free port scanner tool and determine if those open ports need to be closed to provide more network security and less vulnerabilities.

What is a port?

A port, referred to as a server port or Internet port, is a virtual point of network connection. Network ports are used for routing incoming information from a network to specific applications to a designated machine. They are software-based, each uniquely associated with a specific process or service. Therefore, computers are able to distinguish between different kinds of traffic.

Hypothetically, for example, if you wanted to enable remote desktop on a Windows PC within your network, you'd need to make sure port 3389 was open and forwarding to the appropriate computer.

Ports are all assigned a number and standardized across all network devices. There is an IP range for available IP addresses; similarly, between the User Datagram Protocol (UDP) ports and Transmission Control Protocol (TCP) ports, there are 65,536 ports open for communication. However, lower-number ports are most often used.

In many cases, port numbers are reserved for specific protocols across all routers. For example, port 25 is reserved for SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) across networks. Subsequently, this standardizes ports and port forwarding for all users.

What is an online port scanner?

Also referred to as an open port scanner or IP port scanner, a port scanner is a free tool that displays which checks open ports on a network and shows which are available for communication. Determining whether or not a port's open can help with setting up IP security cameras. Furthermore, it helps figure out if a network is secure. You can check on other network-related operations and network admin features with a port checker or port scan tool.

Hackers also use port checkers to expose vulnerabilities in a network. For reasons like this, it's important for users to use the port checking tool on their own network to scan for weaknesses and make sure they have a strong firewall established on their device. However, scanning for open ports on your own network with the online open port checker is completely legal.

Scan types

To begin and scan open ports on an IP, enter a valid IP address or URL at the top of the page. After that, you can scan ports on the IP/URL individually or in pre-made groups. If you are a Gold Member, you can also scan ports in a numeric range or in a custom group (no more than 100 ports at once for any scan type).

To scan individually, select 'Individual,' input a valid port number, and select 'Scan.' The tool will display the status of the chosen port below the scan button.
To scan by group type, select 'Group' and choose a group from the drop down menu. Ports contained in the group will then be displayed below the drop down. After confirming your selection, click 'Scan.' The tool will then display the status of each port in the group below the scan button.
To scan by numeric range, select 'Range,' input a valid port number to start, input another valid port number to stop, and select 'Scan.' Subsequently, the tool will then display the status of each port between and including the starting and ending ports below the scan button.
To scan by custom group, select 'Custom,' enter each desired port to scan on its own line in the text box shown, and select 'Scan.' The tool will then display the status of each inputted port below the scan button.

If a port is displayed as open, that means it is open for remote communication. Otherwise, the port should be closed to remote communication. However, just because a port displays as closed through our tool doesn't mean that it is closed. You should always double-check your router configuration to be sure. You can also double-check with another port scanner online, like the Nmap port scanner.

Some Internet service providers intentionally block popular ports, like 21 or 80, on residential connections to deter customers from hosting their own FTP servers and websites. By blocking popular ports at the ISP level, they provide a level of security for customers. Slow network speeds or slow machines can also lead to ports incorrectly being classified as closed.

How to get your port number

To get your server's port numbers in order to let you access different sites and servers online, follow these steps for your computer.

To get port numbers on Windows:

Start up the command prompt.
Typeipconfig.
Typenetstat -afor a list of all port numbers.

To get port numbers on a Mac:

Port Scan Groups

Basic

21 - File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
22 - Secure Shell (SSH)
25 - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
80 - Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
110 - Post Office Protocol v3 (POP3)
143 - Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)
443 - Hypertext Transfer Protocol over TLS/SSL (HTTPS)
445 - Microsoft-DS (Directory Services) Active Directory
502 - Modbus Protocol
587 - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
993 - Internet Message Access Protocol over TLS/SSL (IMAPS)
995 - Post Office Protocol 3 over TLS/SSL (POP3S)
2525 - Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) Alternate
3306 - MySQL Database System
3389 - Microsoft Terminal Server (RDP)

Web - Scans (Basic Groups Ports Plus Ports Below)

23 - Telnet Protocol - Unencrypted Text Communications
43 - WHOIS Protocol
53 - Domain Name System (DNS)
67 - Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) Server; also used by Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
68 - Bootstrap Protocol (BOOTP) Server; also used by Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
69 - Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
123 - Network Time Protocol (NTP) - used for time synchronization
137 - NetBIOS Name Service
138 - NetBIOS Datagram Service
139 - NetBIOS Session Service
161 - Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
162 - Simple Network Management Protocol Trap (SNMPTRAP)
213 - Internetwork Packet Exchange (IPX)
389 - Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
636 - Lightweight Directory Access Protocol over TLS/SSL (LDAPS)
989 - FTPS Protocol (data), FTP over TLS/SSL
990 - FTPS Protocol (control), FTP over TLS/SSL
1720 - H.323 call signaling
2082 - CPanel Default
2083 - CPanel Default SSL
2086 - WebHost Manager Default
2087 - WebHost Manager Default SSL
2095 - CPanel Default Web Mail
2096 - CPanel Default SSL Web Mail

Games

433 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Playstation 4/5; Fortnite
465 - Playstation 4 Red Dead Redemption 2
983 - Playstation 4 Red Dead Redemption 2
1725 - Valve Steam Client
1935 - Playstation 4/5; Call of Duty: Warzone; Battlefield 2042; Fortnite; Red Dead Redemption 2
2302 - ArmA Multiplayer; Halo: Combat Evolved Multiplayer
3074 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Halo Infinite; Call of Duty: Warzone; Battlefield 2042; Fortnite; PubG; Forza Horizon 5; Rocket League; Hunt: Showdown; Grand Theft Auto V; Red Dead Redemption 2
3478-3480 - Playstation 4/5; Call of Duty: Warzone; Battlefield 2042; Fortnite; PubG; Rocket League; Hunt: Showdown; Grand Theft Auto V; Red Dead Redemption 2
3478-3480 - Playstation 3; Grand Theft Auto V
3479 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Fortnite
3659 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Battlefield 2042
3724 - World of Warcraft; Club Penguin Disney
5060 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Fortnite
5062 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Fortnite
5222 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client; Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Fortnite; Playstation 4/5; Fortnite
6112 - Blizzard's Battle.net Gaming Service; ArenaNet Gaming Service; Relic Gaming Service; Club Penguin Disney
6250 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Fortnite
6667 - Nintendo Switch
9988 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client
10070-10080 - Playstation 4 Red Dead Redemption 2
12000 - 65000 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Fortnite
12035 - Linden Lab Viewer to Sim on SecondLife
12400 - Nintendo Switch
14000-14016 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Battlefield 2042
14567 - Battlefield 1942
17502 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client
20000-20100 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client
22990 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client
22990-23006 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Battlefield 2042
25200-25300 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Battlefield 2042
27014-27050 - Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live; Call of Duty: Warzone
27015-27030 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client; Red Dead Redemption 2 Steam Client
27015, 27036 - Halo Infinite Steam Client; PubG Steam Client; Forza Horizon 5 Steam Client; Rocket League Steam Client; Hunt: Showdown Steam Client; Grand Theft Auto V Steam Client
27036 - Red Dead Redemption 2 Steam Client
27037 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client
28910 - Nintendo Switch
28960 - Call of Duty; Call of Duty: United Offensive; Call of Duty 2; Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare; Call of Duty: World at War
29900 - Nintendo Switch
29901 - Nintendo Switch
29920 - Nintendo Switch
30211-30217 - Playstation 4 and/or Xbox Live and/or Games for Windows Live and/or Steam Client; Red Dead Redemption 2
42127 - Battlefield 2042 Steam Client
61088 - Xbox Live and/or Playstation 4 and/or Steam Client; Hunt: Showdown

Malicious

26 - W32.Netsky
1080 - W32.Beagle; WinHole; HLLW.Deadhat; Webus
2745 - Bagle Virus Backdoor; Beagle
3127 - W32.Mockbot; Solame; Novarg(Mydoom); W32.HLLW.Deadhat
4444 – Napster; Prosiak; Swift Remote; Blaster.Worm; W32.HLLW.Donk; W32.Mockbot; W32.Reidana
5554 - W32.Dabber; Sasser
8866 - W32.Beagle
9898 – CrashCool; Dabber
12345 – Amitis; Ashley; Cron/Crontab; Fat Bitch Trojan; GabanBus; Mypic; NetBus; NetBus Toy; NetBus Worm; Pie Bill Gates; Whack Job; X-bill
27374 - Bad Blood; Baste; Ramen; Seeker; SubSeven; Subseven 2.1.4 DefCon 8; SubSeven Muie; Ttfloader
31337 - Back Orifice; Back Orifice 1.20 Patches; Back Orifice Russian; Baron Night; Beeone; BO Client; BO Facil; BO Spy; BO2; Cron/Crontab; Emcommander; Freak2k; Freak88; c; Sockdmini; W32.HLLW.Gool

FAQs

What does a port scanner do? ›

A port scan is a network reconnaissance technique designed to identify which ports are open on a computer. This can enable the scanner to identify the applications running on the system as certain programs listen on particular ports and react to traffic in certain ways.

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Why is port scanning illegal? ›

Fundamentally, it is not a crime to conduct a port scan in the United States or the European Union. This means that it isn't criminalized at the state, federal, or local levels. However, the issue of consent can still cause legal problems for unauthorized port scans and vulnerability scans.

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What is the most widely used port scanning tool? ›

Nmap is one of the most popular open-source port scanning tools available.

What difference does port scanning really make? ›

As a best practice approach, port scan alerts and firewalls should be used to monitor traffic to your ports and ensure malicious attackers do not detect potential opportunities for unauthorized entry into your network.

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Is it a crime to scan ports? ›

Not at all.. just scanning for ports or identifying the services running or finding vulnerabilities is not illegal at all,but yes if you further exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to systems ,servers etc.. then it is definitely illegal.

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Is it bad to have a port scan? ›

A port checker or port scanner can be dangerous because they can tell hackers whether a business is vulnerable to an attack.

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Can you protect yourself from port scans? ›

5 Use encryption. Encryption is a process that scrambles your data and makes it unreadable to anyone who does not have the key to decrypt it. Encryption can protect your system against port scanning attacks by hiding the information that port scanners can use to identify your system and services.

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How do I find out what devices are using my port? ›

To list what services are listening* on a particular port on a device in your environment, run the following commands in a Windows Command Line or a Linux Terminal window on the device the port is on: Windows: netstat -ano | findstr [Port Number] Linux: netstat -ano | grep [Port Number]

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How do you know that a port being scanned is open? ›

Like TCP scans, UDP scans send a UDP packet to various ports on a target system and evaluate the response to determine the availability of the service and the host. Receiving a UDP packet in response indicates that the port is open, while an ICMP port unreachable error response signifies a closed port.

How do I test a port? ›

Press the Windows key + R, then type "cmd.exe" and click OK. Enter "telnet + IP address or hostname + port number" (e.g., telnet www.example.com 1723 or telnet 10.17.xxx.xxx 5000) to run the telnet command in Command Prompt and test the TCP port status. If the port is open, only a cursor will show.

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Which command is used for port scanning? ›

The simple command nmap <target> scans 1,000 TCP ports on the host <target> . While many port scanners have traditionally lumped all ports into the open or closed states, Nmap is much more granular.

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What is the first step in port scanning? ›

The first step in port scanning is one of preparation, specifically the gathering of information about the range of Internet protocols in use by the target. Because wardialing involves the use of modems, it is out of date and should no longer be used.

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What is the difference between a sniffer and a port scanner? ›

Sniffing is used by an attacker already on the network who wants to gather more information about the network. Port scanning is used by someone who is interested in finding vulnerabilities on a system that is unknown.

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What is the difference between IP scanner and port scanner? ›

A port scan is TCP or UDP traffic that is sent to a range of ports. These ports can be in sequence or random, from 0 to 65535. An IP scan is TCP or UDP traffic that is sent to a range of network addresses. Port scans examine a computer to find the services that it uses.

What is port scan advantages and disadvantages? ›

The error message from the port describes whether the port is open or closed. The advantage of this scan is being able to be anonymous as bouncing through FTP server hides the source address of the attacker. The disadvantages are that it is slow, and many FTP servers have disabled the proxy feature.

What is the difference between a port scanner and a protocol analyzer? ›

I think with a packet sniffer/ protocol analyzer you can see the packets that traverse through your network. On the other hand, a port scanner shows the open ports on a host or server.

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