port

A computer port is a type of software-, electronic, or programming-related docking point through which information flows from a program on your computer or to your computer from the Internet or another computer in a network. A port number is a 16-bit unsigned integer, thus ranging from 0 to 65535.

A computer or a program connects to somewhere or something else on the Internet via a port. Port numbers and the user’s IP address are kept by every Internet Service Provider. Ports are numbered for consistency and programming. The best known and most commonly used ports are those numbered 0 to 1023 dedicated for Internet use, but they can extend higher for specialized purposes. Each port set or range is assigned specialized jobs or functions, and that’s generally all they do. Usually, all identical system services or functions use the same port numbers on the receiving servers.