Dictionary · Protocols and Ports
Socket
Ports · Intermediate
One endpoint of a network conversation, identified by a protocol, a local address, a local port, and, for a connected exchange, the remote address and port.
A program does not own an entire computer's network. It binds an endpoint, and the operating system uses the address and port pair to deliver the right bytes to it.
Example: A web server listens on 0.0.0.0 port 443, and each visitor creates a connected socket with its own source port.
Common misconception
- A listening port is not the same object as each connected conversation. One listener can accept many connections.