TCP/IP networking is the most prevalent protocol in use today, and dealing with ports is a common task. So, what is a port? Here's a basic explanation. Simply put, a port is a line of communication between two computers. Every computer on a network or on the Internet has an IP address. For internal networks, typically each computer is assigned an IP address like 192.168.0.1, 192.168.0.2, or 192.168.0.3, etc... So data travels between computers and the packets of data have an IP address of the destination computer that should receive the data. It's almost like writing an address on an envelope. Once the computer receives the data, it figures out which port to send the data to. Ports are like channels on a TV or radio stations. Someone has to be listening on that specific channel or port, otherwise the data is discarded. Ports are numbered 1 to 65535 (2^16).
tags: Networking, router, TCP/IP, tutorialApr 26
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