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Asked: 2024-09-24T21:10:01+05:30 In: ,

How can I identify which application is using a specific port on my system?

I’ve been digging into some networking stuff lately and stumbled upon a weird issue on my computer. You know how we sometimes run into random connectivity problems and don’t know where they come from? Well, I realized there’s an application that’s using a specific port on my system, and I can’t figure out which one it is!

So, here’s what’s going on: I was trying to set up a new piece of software, and it kept throwing errors about not being able to bind to a particular port. I mean, I know ports are like doors to the internet for different applications, but I have no clue how to track down what’s already using the port. I thought I’d maybe check with the Task Manager, but it didn’t really give me the detailed view I needed.

I tried using some common commands, like netstat, but I’m not entirely sure how to interpret the output or if there’s a better way to approach this. I get a list of connections and listening ports, but it all looks like a big jumble of numbers and letters to me. I heard there are tools or commands for getting more information, but honestly, I’m a bit lost.

Has anyone dealt with this before? I would really love some step-by-step advice on how to pinpoint which application is using that particular port. Are there specific commands that work best on Windows or macOS? Or maybe there are GUI apps that can make this easier? I could really use a little guidance here because I’m worried that if I just randomly start closing applications, I might mess something up.

Would anyone mind sharing their experiences or tips for tackling this? I promise I’ll try not to hijack your answers, but I’m just genuinely looking for help. Thanks!

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    2 Answers



    1. How to Identify Port Usage on Your System

      Finding Out Which Application is Using a Port

      If you’re running into issues with a port being used and you can’t figure out which application is hogging it, no worries! Here’s a simple way to track it down, whether you’re on Windows or macOS:

      For Windows Users

      1. Press Windows + R to open the Run dialog box.
      2. Type cmd and hit Enter to open the Command Prompt.
      3. Type the command netstat -aon and hit Enter. This will show you all the connections and listening ports with the associated process IDs (PID).
      4. Look for your specific port number in the list. Once you find it, note down the PID (it’s the number at the end of the line).
      5. Open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or right-clicking the taskbar and selecting Task Manager. Go to the Details tab (you might have to click on More details if it’s not expanded).
      6. Find the PID in the Task Manager to see which application is using that port. You can right-click on the app and then select End task if you need to close it.

      For macOS Users

      1. Open the Terminal. You can find it in Applications > Utilities.
      2. Type lsof -i : and press Enter. Replace with the actual port number you’re trying to check.
      3. This command will show you the name of the process that is using that port along with its PID.
      4. If you want to terminate the process, you can use kill , where is the process ID you found.

      Using GUI Tools

      If command-line stuff isn’t your thing, there are graphical tools available:

      • Windows: Tools like CurrPorts can show you all the open ports and their associated applications.
      • macOS: Check out an app like LsofUI for a user-friendly way to see what’s on your ports.

      Hopefully, this helps you get to the bottom of your port issue! Just remember to be careful when you’re closing apps, so you don’t accidentally shut down something important. Good luck!


    2. To identify which application is using a specific port on your system, you can use some built-in commands that provide valuable insights into network activity. If you’re on Windows, running the command netstat -ano in the Command Prompt will list all active connections and listening ports along with the Process ID (PID) of the applications using them. You can then correlate this PID with the applications by opening Task Manager, going to the “Details” tab, and matching it with the PID listed there. Alternatively, for a more visual approach, consider using utilities like TCPView from Sysinternals, which can provide a clear graphical interface showing you which processes are bound to which ports.

      If you’re using macOS, the procedure is somewhat similar. Open the Terminal and run lsof -i : to see which process is using that specific port. The output will give you the command associated with that process along with its PID, so you can look it up in Activity Monitor or kill it if necessary. Another powerful tool available on macOS is the nettop command, which monitors network usage in real-time. For both operating systems, ensure you have the necessary permissions to view all processes. Once you identify the offending application, you can decide whether to terminate it or adjust its configuration to avoid port conflicts.

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