Have you ever wondered what port VPN services use? Or what’s the best port or even why choosing the best port is important? This guide will show you everything you need to know under one roof.
What is a VPN port?
Before moving ahead with what Port VPN services use, you need to first understand what a VPN port is and how it works. So, what is it?
A VPN port is part of a VPN’s infrastructure, particularly used as a communication endpoint for networking. They’re there to make sure that all VPN traffic passes through the software and service.
What Port does a VPN use?
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) uses different port depending on the kind of security or secure connection you require. It of course changes depending on what protocols a VPN offers.
You’ll find the some of the best VPNs in the industry offer a variety of VPN protocols to choose from. When you choose a particular protocol depending on what you need it for, only then can you establish the port you require.
The most popular VPN protocols and their ports
- OpenVPN (UDP/TCP) – uses port 1194 TCP/UDP and port 443 TCP
- IPSec/IKEv2 (Internet Protocol Security/Internet Key Exchange) – uses port 500 UDP/TCP.
- IPsec Net Traversal – uses port 4500 UDP.
- L2TP (Layer Two Tunneling Protocol) – uses port 500 UDP, port 1701 TCP, and port 4500 UDP.
- PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) – uses port 1723 TCP.
- SSTP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) – uses port 443 TCP.
- WireGuard – uses 51820 UDP
Are there any ports that are harmful to a VPN?
Apart from the above, there are a few ports that are vulnerable to cyberattacks or cause issues with the VPN’s performance. They are:
- TCP port 21
- TCP/UDP port 53
- TCP port 80
- TCP port 23
- TCP port 1080
- TCP port 4444
