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📘 04-03: Core Protocols & Their Ports

Network Systems

Module 04: Network Protocols

Home All Notes Practice Quiz

📌 Application-Layer Services

Protocol Port(s) Transport Purpose
HTTP / HTTPS 80 / 443 TCP Web
FTP 20/21 TCP File transfer
SFTP 22 TCP Secure file transfer (over SSH)
TFTP 69 UDP Simple file transfer (configs/images)
SMTP 25 (587) TCP Send email
POP3 / IMAP 110 / 143 TCP Retrieve email
DNS 53 UDP/TCP Name resolution
DHCP 67/68 UDP IP configuration
SNMP 161/162 UDP Monitoring / traps
NTP 123 UDP Time sync
LDAP / LDAPS 389 / 636 TCP Directory services
Kerberos 88 UDP/TCP Authentication (AD)
RDP 3389 TCP Remote desktop
SSH / Telnet 22 / 23 TCP Remote CLI (secure/insecure)

📌 Diagnostic & Infrastructure Protocols

Protocol Role
ICMP Errors & diagnostics (ping, traceroute, "destination unreachable")
ARP IP → MAC on the local segment
QUIC Modern low-latency transport over UDP (HTTP/3)

📌 Email Flow

  • SMTP sends/relays mail between servers.
  • POP3 downloads mail (usually removes from server) — single device.
  • IMAP keeps mail on the server and syncs across devices.

Tip

Key idea — Know each protocol's port, transport (TCP/UDP), and job. SMTP sends; POP3/IMAP retrieve. ICMP powers ping/traceroute; ARP maps IP↔MAC.

See also: Ports & Protocols Reference, Secure Protocols & Encryption