Ports

Introduction

Ports are used to define the endpoints of connections. While an address specifies the computer in a connection, a port provides a unique identifier for the connection.

When defining endpoints for rules, ports can be used to restrict the filtering to a specified port or port range. Note that ports are only valid for rules that use a protocol of TCP or UDP.

All ports that are used in rules are stored in a central list on the server. The port list contains all of the ports that are used.

User Interface

The port list can be accessed by via the View, Ports menu in the manager application:

The Port List Window allows you to modify the port list with the following options:

• New - Adds a new port to the list.
• Edit - Displays the properties of a port and allows you change its contents. The changes are reflected in all rules that use the port.
• Remove - Deletes the port from the list. Note that if one or more rules are using the port then their endpoints will be reset to 'Any'.

Port Properties

The Port Properties Window allows you to change the contents of a port. It can be accessed by selecting a port in the list and clicking the Edit button:

The Port Properties Window allows you to set both the port data and the type of port. There are two port types to choose from:

• Port - Enter a single port value in the range of 1 to 65535 (inclusive).
• Port Range - Enter a range of ports to filter. Rules that use this type of port will process all traffic within the range. The starting port should be lower than the ending port, so a range of 500 to 200 is invalid.