What Port Does VPN Use? Sep 2026
Different types of VPNs use different ports to establish a secure connection over the Internet. It all depends on the types of protocols that a certain VPN offers. Some VPN providers choose to only support a handful of protocols, while others offer a broad range of VPN protocols.
VPN ports are specific virtual network channels that allow VPN protocols to manage secure connections between a client device and a VPN server. These ports facilitate the encrypted transfer of data, ensuring a safe and private communication path.
While default VPN ports vary depending on the protocol being used, they can also be customized. Common VPN ports include 1194 for OpenVPN (UDP), port 443 for secure connections, 500 for IPsec/IKEv2, and 1723 for PPTP.
What Ports Do VPNs Use?
Below is a list of some common VPN protocols and the ports that they use:
- PPTP (Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol) – This protocol uses port 1723 TCP.
- L2TP (Layer Two Tunneling Protocol) – This protocol uses port 1701 TCP, Port 500 UDP, and port 4500 UDP.
- IPSec (Internet Protocol Security) – This protocol uses ports 500 UDP and ports 4500 UDP.
- STP (Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol) – This protocol uses port 443 TCP.
- OpenVPN – This protocol uses port 1194 TCP/UDP and port 443 TCP.
ExpressVPN Ports
ExpressVPN servers listen on a range of different ports, and their apps might try connecting to any of these ports (for OpenVPN)
- TCP443
- UDP1195
- UDP1198
- UDP10088 to UDP10098
- UDP10188 to UDP10198
- TCP10288 to TCP10298
Lightway protocol uses the same port as OpenVPN UDP. Their optimized app can pick a random port in any of the UDP ranges.
Check out more in our ExpressVPN review.
Surfshark VPN Ports
Surfshark uses WireGuard, OpenVPN, and IKEv2 protocols and the following ports:
- WireGuard – UDP 51820
- OpenVPN – UDP 1194/ TCP 443
- IKEv2 – UDP 500/ UDP 4500
- PPTP – TCP 1723
- SSTP – TCP 443
- L2TP – UDP 500/ UDP 4500/ TCP 1701
- IPSec – UDP 500/ UDP 4500
Learn more about how it works in our Surfshark review.
How VPN Ports Function
VPN ports play a key role in establishing a secure communication tunnel between the client and the VPN server. The client device transmits encrypted traffic via the VPN protocol, which assigns a port number for data transmission.
This encrypted information is then routed through various network devices—like firewalls and routers—ensuring the secure delivery to the VPN server. In essence, VPN ports are crucial for maintaining the integrity and safety of the VPN tunnel.
What Are Port Numbers
Port numbers are unique digits assigned by the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority and are designed to handle data for specific services. Each port is used to distinguish between different types of traffic and direct it to the appropriate location.
For example, a web browser typically uses the 443 port, while email services use port 25. Here are some common networking ports:
| Port Number | Service/Process |
|---|---|
| 20 | File transfer (FTP) |
| 25 | Email transfer (SMTP) |
| 53 | Domain services (DNS) |
| 80 | Web browsing (HTTP) |
| 119 | Usenet (NNTP) |
| 443 | Web browsing (HTTPS) |
| 8333 | Bitcoin (P2P) |
What is Port Forwarding?
Port forwarding is a method that enables external devices or computers on the internet to access specific services or applications hosted on devices within a local network.
By creating a direct communication path that bypasses security measures, it introduces potential security risks. For more details, check out our comprehensive guide on port forwarding. This feature is especially useful for torrenting.
NordVPN does not support port forwarding. This is because port forwarding necessitates keeping certain ports open, while NordVPN blocks all unnecessary ports to maintain a secure connection environment.
Which VPN Ports To Avoid
Since we are discussing VPN ports, let’s talk about some ports that are unsafe or can be vulnerable to attacks. Remember, no port is natively secure. Below is a list of some unsafe VPN ports that you should avoid using:
- TCP port 21
- TCP port 23
- TCP/UDP port 53
- TCP port 80
- TCP port 1080
- TCP port 4444
Not all VPNs use secure ports. A lot of VPNs use unsafe ports that can leave you vulnerable to attacks. We recommend going for a trusted VPN provider such as Surfshark – $2.49/mo (Save 85% and get 3 extra months FREE with 24-month plan).
How To Find My VPN Port?
Follow these steps to find your VPN port number on different devices:
VPN Port Number on Windows
- Press Windows Key + S.
- Type cmd and Enter.
- Type netstat -a and Enter.
- You can see your ports under the Local Address column.
VPN Port Number on macOS
- Press Command + Spacebar.
- Type Terminal and Enter.
- Now type netstat -an in the Terminal and press Enter.
- Your ports will be listed under Local Address.
What Port Do VPNs Use FAQs
What port is 433 used for?
Port 433 is the most common port used for all secure browser connections such as HTTPS.
What is my VPN port number?
You can find your VPN port number by opening the console and entering the ‘netstat-a” command. Look for the numbers under Local Address.
What is port 500 used for?
Port 500 is used for the Internet Key Exchange (IKE) that is used to establish secure VPN tunnels.
What port is OpenVPN?
By default, OpenVPN uses UDP port 1194 and TCP port 443. These ports are used on all available network interfaces.
What port is WireGuard?
WireGuard encrypts all data using UDP with default port 51820. On this port, there is a built-in access rule to allow WireGuard traffic.
Conclusion
For most users, a port is simply a number appended to the end of your IP address, operating behind the scenes but still crucial for a stable internet connection. Unless you specifically need to adjust your port number to circumvent certain firewalls or security restrictions, it’s best not to alter it.
Similar to other online processes, VPNs also use specific port numbers tied to each VPN protocol. However, the port number itself doesn’t significantly affect your connection, as the security and performance of your VPN are primarily determined by the protocol in use.
