In computer networks, port numbers are part of the addressing information used to identify the senders and recipients of messages. They are associated with TCP/IP network connections and can be described as an add-on to the IP address.
Network Ports Explained
Port numbers allow multiple applications on the same computer to share network resources at the same time. Home network routers and computer software work with these ports and sometimes support configuring port number settings.
Port numbers relate to network addressing. In TCP/IP networks, both TCP and UDP use a set of ports that work in conjunction with IP addresses.
These port numbers work like telephone extensions. Just as a business telephone system might use a main telephone number and assign each employee an extension number, a computer might have a main address and a set of port numbers to handle incoming and outgoing connections.
