Admin Tips
- Windows Server 2008/2003/2000/XP/NT Administrator Knowledge Base
  - Windows 2003
    - Admin Tips
      - Security
        Listening ports and services

Section(s): Security
Published on Nov 20, 2007.
Last Modified on Nov 20, 2007.
Last Modified by Mitch Tulloch.
Rating: Not Rated

How to find what ports your server is listening on and which service is listening on each port

How can you find what ports your server is listening on and which service is listening on each port? The traditional way is to open a command prompt and type netstat –anb. An even better way however is to use the free tool Port Reporter, which is available from the Microsoft Download Center. For a good introduction to Port Reporter and its capabilities, see http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;837243. Not many admins know about this cool tool from Microsoft!

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Mitch Tulloch is lead author for the Windows Vista Resource Kit from Microsoft Press, which is THE book for IT pros who want to deploy, maintain and support Windows Vista in mid- and large-sized network environments. Mitch is also the author of Introducing Windows Server 2008, the first book from Microsoft Press about the exciting new server platform. For more information on these and other books written by Mitch, see www.mtit.com.

About Mitch Tulloch

Mitch Tulloch was lead author for the Windows Vista Resource Kit from Microsoft Press, which is the book for IT pros who want to deploy, maintain and support Windows Vista in mid- and large-sized network environments. Mitch was also the author of Introducing Windows Server 2008 and technical project lead for the Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Resource Kit, both books also from Microsoft Press. For more information on these and other books by Mitch, see www.mtit.com .