What is Difference between IP address and Port Number in Networking?
The answer is no. The IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. The port number is used so the data is directed to the correct location within this device.
in Simple port means to whom you communicate. & Protocol means how to communicate or way of communication. In IP terms, a protocol number is the value assigned to the Layer 4 protocol carried within IP, e.g. 6 for TCP, 17 for UDP, as often found in the /etc/protocols file on most UNIX systems.
A port number is used to direct the data to the correct program / task / process within the device. You could compare them with street address (IP) and door number (port). So, there are 65535 ports to every IP address, every one of them can be used by a process to send or receive data.
You can call the number (IP address) to talk to the computer, then dial the extension (port) to talk to a specific application. An application needs to be listening on a port in order to communicate. A protocol is just the language that the two applications on either end of a conversation agree to speak in.
IP address is address of the system in the Network.
Port is address of the service within the System.
So IP address + Port defines address of the particular service on the particular system.
Think about how many application layer protocols exist (HTTP, FTP,DNS, SSH, etc). Now think about how many task/process/programs exist within your device trying to communicate over the internet. Would it be possible just one address, the IP address, to be able to handle all these different assignments and types of protocols alone? The answer is no.
The IP address is a numerical label assigned to each device connected to a computer network that uses the Internet Protocol for communication. The port number is used so the data is directed to the correct location within this device.
The IP and the port number form the structure IP:port number, 192.168.1.1:8080
for example, and the port number can hold 65536 numbers, with the following division:
0 to 1023 - Well known port numbers. Only special companies like Apple QuickTime, MSN, SQL Services, Gopher Services and other prominent services have these port numbers.
1024 to 49151 - Registered ports; meaning they can be registered to specific protocols by software corporations.
49152 to 65536 - Dynamic or private ports; meaning that they can be used by just about anybody.
IP address is use to identify a host or a group of hosts in a network while port number is used to identify a particular service running in a host
If you love us? You can donate to us via Paypal or buy me a coffee so we can maintain and grow! Thank you!
Donate Us With