

It is a secure transfer protocol over SSH, modeled after the way FTP operates. The reason for this is that SFTP is not directly related to FTP. In addition, it uses that same port for both control messages and data transfers. The SFTP port is 22, the same as an SSH connection. This initiates an SSL/TLS handshake, then a connection to port 989 is made to transfer the encrypted file data. Implicit FTPS uses different ports by default, starting with assigned FTPS port 990 to make the control connection.
#Ftp tcp ports free
However, the server responds with a random port number, in a free range of ports, to use for the data port for file transfers.įor example, your FTP client will open a control channel on port 21 and a data channel on a random high port in the 60000 – 65535 port range. If using a “passive” FTP connection setting, the client computer also connects to the server on FTP port 21. If specifically using an “active” connection setting, this means that while a client computer makes the connection request and sends the commands first on port 21, known as the “control port,” a connection to the server on port 20, the “data port,” is also automatically opened to transfer the file data. Other ports are also used in the case of SFTP, which is a totally different protocol.įTP has been officially assigned ports 20 and 21. More ports are used, with differences based on the type of FTP. Are Other FTP Ports Used for Connections? For this standard case, this is all someone using an FTP client needs to know. The FTP port that you generally need to know about to make a standard, unencrypted, FTP connection is port 21. The next step involves transferring the file data requested over the same or a similarly established connection. Commands establish the connection details and operations your want performed.

Initially, this is in the form of commands. When a file transfer client makes a connection to a port that a file transfer service is listening on, they can then exchange information.

These services have been assigned a standard port by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA). The first 1024 ports are reserved for known special services. For common services, there is an expected, set port that the application should be using. When a service that can accept some remote connection (like an FTP server) starts up, it starts “listening” on a specific port. How Are Ports Used With File Transfer Protocols? IP addresses are unique on the internet to the one server they are assigned to, but ports are a fixed range of numbers from 0 to 65535 that each server uses. While that IP address identifies a particular server, ports are numbers that are used at a lower level to specify what application or service on the server you are trying to communicate with. To connect to a specific server, you need to know that server’s IP address. Ports allow the connection and transfer of data to happen between your computer and a server. In terms of FTP, ports are communication endpoints. Successful file transfers can only happen when the correct ports are open. When using file transfer protocol, you may want to be aware of the different elements involved.
