How to Check if a Port is Open: 5 Quick Ways

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Test the status of a specific local or remote port
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Are you looking for a quick way to check if a port on your router or firewall is open? It's actually pretty simple. The right way to do it just depends on whether you’re using a Mac or PC and what kind of port you’re checking. We’ll walk you through how to do it step-by-step on Windows and macOS.

Easy Ways to Identify Open Ports

  • On Windows devices, enable Telnet. Open a command prompt and type “ipconfig.” Use the IP address and port number to locate an open port.
  • For Mac devices, open a Terminal window. Type “netsat -nr | grep default” into the program. Then, type “nc -vs” + your IP + port number to locate.
  • Check an External port by visiting https://canyouseeme.org/ and enter the port you want to check. Click “check port” to see if it’s open and available.
Method 1
Method 1 of 5:

Checking if a Local Router Port is Open (Windows)

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  1. You can use Telnet to check if a certain port is open on your local router or access point. Here's how to enable it: [1]
    • Type windows features in to the search bar. If you don't see the search bar, click the circle or magnifying glass to the right of the Start menu.
    • Click Turn Windows features on or off .
    • Check the box next to Telnet Client and click OK .
    • Click Close when the app is finished installing.
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    Here's how to open the command prompt :
    • Type cmd into the Windows search bar.
    • Click Command prompt in the search results.
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  3. This displays a bunch of network information.
  4. The address that appears next to "Default Gateway" in the ipconfig results is the local address of your router.
  5. This opens the Microsoft Telnet prompt.
  6. For example, if you wanted to see if port 25 is open on your router, and your router's IP address is 10.0.0.1, you would type open 10.0.0.1 25 .
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    Telnet will try to connect to the port.
    • If you see a message that says "Please press Enter" or "Press any key to continue," the port is open.
    • If you see a message that says "Could not open connection," the port is not open.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 5:

Checking if a Local Router Port is Open (Mac)

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    To open a Terminal window, open Spotlight by clicking the magnifying glass at the top-right corner of the screen, type terminal , and then click Terminal in the search results.
    • Use this method to see if a port is open on your local router or access point.
  2. The router's IP address appears next to "default" at the top of the results.
  3. For example, if you wanted to see if port 25 is open on your router, and your router's IP address is 10.0.0.1, you would type nc -vz 10.0.0.1 25 .
  4. Here's how to interpret the results:
    • If the port is open, you'll see a message that says the connection succeeded.
    • If the port is closed, you'll see a message that says the connection was refused or timed out.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 5:

Checking if an App Is Allowed through Windows Firewall

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    If the search bar is not already open, click the circle or magnifying glass to the right of the Start menu to open it. [2]
    • Use this method if you want to see if Windows is set up to allow an app you've installed to communicate through your firewall .
    • The Windows firewall is enabled by default. If you've installed your own firewall software, use that software to check if an app is allowed through.
  2. This opens your Firewall and Network Protection settings.
  3. It's one of the text links near the bottom of the window. A list of apps allowed through the firewall will appear.
    • If the app is allowed through the firewall only when you're connected to a network you've marked as "private" (such as when you're on your home network), a check will appear in the "Private" column next to the app.
    • If the app is allowed through the firewall when you're connected to a public network, a check will appear in the "Public" column.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    If you don't see the app on the "Allowed apps and features" list, click the Change Settings button at the top-right corner, and then follow these steps: [3]
    • Click Allow another app near the bottom.
    • Click Browse , select the app, and then click Open .
    • Click Network Types near the bottom-left corner, select a privacy preference, and then click OK .
    • Click Add to add the app, and then click OK .
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Method 4
Method 4 of 5:

Checking an External Port

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  1. Go to https://www.canyouseeme.org in a web browser. You can use it to see if a port on your computer or network is accessible on the internet. The website will automatically detect your IP address and display it in the "Your IP" box. [4]
    • There are many different sites you can use to check for an open port. Search for "open port check tool" in your favorite search engine to find an alternative, if desired. [5]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    Type the port you want to check (e.g., 22 for SSH) into the "Port to Check" box. [6]
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    If the port is open and available, you'll see a confirmation message. If not, you'll see a message that says "Error: I could not see your service on (your IP address) on port (the port number)." [7]
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Method 5
Method 5 of 5:

Checking if an App is Allowed through Mac Firewall

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  1. The Mac firewall is not enabled by default. [8]
  2. It's the house icon on the top row.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    It's near the top-center part of the window.
    • If you see the message "Firewall:On" near the top of the tab, this means your firewall is active.
    • If the firewall is not active but you want it to be, click the padlock icon at the bottom-left part of the window, enter your administrator password, and then click Turn On Firewall .
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Check if a Port Is Opened
    This opens your settings, including a list of apps and services set to either allow or disallow incoming connections. [9]
    • If an app or service has a green dot and the text "Allow incoming connections," that means its port is open.
    • If you see a red dot that says "Block incoming connections," the port is closed.
    • You can toggle whether a port is allowed or not allowed by clicking the double-arrow icon next to the app's current status, and choosing an option.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I check if a port is open Windows 10?
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Luigi Oppido is the Owner and Operator of Pleasure Point Computers in Santa Cruz, California. Luigi has over 25 years of experience in general computer repair, data recovery, virus removal, and upgrades. He is also the host of the Computer Man Show! broadcasted on KSQD covering central California for over two years.
    Luigi Oppido
    Computer & Tech Specialist
    Expert Answer
    An easy way to do this is to go to canyouseeme.org and type in the port number into the webpage. It'll be able to tell you whether or not the port is open.
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      References

      1. ↑ https://www.wintips.org/how-to-enable-telnet-client-in-windows-10/
      2. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/turn-microsoft-defender-firewall-on-or-off-ec0844f7-aebd-0583-67fe-601ecf5d774f
      3. ↑ https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/risks-of-allowing-apps-through-windows-defender-firewall-654559af-3f54-3dcf-349f-71ccd90bcc5c
      4. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 10 June 2020.
      5. ↑ https://kb.synology.com/en-us/DSM/tutorial/Whether_TCP_port_is_open_or_closed
      6. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 10 June 2020.
      7. ↑ Luigi Oppido. Computer & Tech Specialist. Expert Interview. 10 June 2020.
      8. ↑ https://www.maketecheasier.com/configure-mac-firewall-correctly/
      9. ↑ https://support.apple.com/guide/mac-help/change-firewall-settings-on-mac-mh11783/mac

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