Common TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols Section
Management Protocols
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Application Layer Management Protocols
• Domain Name System (DNS)
• Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
• Network Time Protocol (NTP)
• Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
• Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
• LDAP Secure (LDAPS)
• Server Message Block (SMB)
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Domain Name System (DNS)
Port: 53 Transport Layer Protocol: UDP
• Protocol that is used to resolve a domain name to its corresponding IP address
o InstructorAlton.com → 162.0.232.236
• Uses TCP port 53 by default
• We’ll be discussing DNS in detail in the DNS Network Services section of this
course:
o DNS Hierarchy
o DNS Record Types
o Name Resolution
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Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP)
Ports: 67, 68 Transport Layer Protocol: UDP
• Protocol that automatically assigns IP address configurations to devices on a
network:
o IP Address
o Subnet Mask
o Default Gateway
o DNS Server
• We’ll be discussing how DHCP works in detail in the Assigning IP Addresses
section of this course
• Uses two UDP ports 67 and 68 by default
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Network Time Protocol (NTP)
Port: 123 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Protocol that automatically synchronizes a system’s time with a network time server.
o Important for time-dependent network applications and protocols.
o If a system is configured with the incorrect time, it may not be able to access network services.
o Authentication will often fail if time isn’t properly synchronized between devices.
• Uses TCP port 123 by default.
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Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)
Port: 161 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Protocol used to monitor and manage network devices
• Allows admins to monitor and manage network devices and traffic.
• Allows network devices to communicate information about their state:
o Memory
o CPU
o Bandwidth
• Uses TCP port 161 by default
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Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP)
Port: 389 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Protocol that provides a means to access and query directory service systems:
o Usernames, Passwords, Computer Accounts, etc.
• Typically Unix/Linux-based or Microsoft Active Directory-based
• Uses TCP 389 by default
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LDAP Secure (LDAPS)
Port: 636 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• LDAP over SSL
• A secure version of LDAP that utilizes SSL to encrypt LDAP network traffic
• Uses TCP port 636 by default
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Server Message Block (SMB)
Port: 445 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Network and file sharing protocol commonly used in Microsoft environments
• Allows systems to share their files and printers with other systems
• Uses TCP port 445 by default
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Common TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols Section
Remote Communication Protocols
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Application Layer Remote Communication Protocols
• Telnet
• Secure Shell (SSH)
• Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
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Telnet
Port: 23 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Legacy protocol used to “insecurely” connect to a remote host
o Data is transferred in clear text, so it’s considered insecure
o Largely replaced by SSH
• Today it’s primarily used to access managed network devices, such as routers via a
serial connection
• Use TCP Port 23 by default
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Secure Shell (SSH)
Port: 22 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• A cryptographic protocol that’s used to securely connect to a remote host
o Utilizes a terminal console
o Typically Unix and Linux Machines, but also available on Windows and Mac OS
• Encrypts data with public key infrastructure (PKI), making it secure
o Considered secure replacement for Telnet
• Uses TCP port 22 by default
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Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP)
Port: 3389 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• A Microsoft protocol that allows users to remotely connect to, view, and control a
remote computer from a Windows desktop.
• Built into the Microsoft operating system.
• Uses TCP port 3389 by default
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Common TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols Section
File Transfer Protocols
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Application Layer File Transfer Protocols
• File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
• Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
• Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
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File Transfer Protocol (FTP)
Ports: 20, 21 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Legacy protocol used to transfer files between systems
o Slowly being replaced by Secure FTP (SFTP)
• Can authenticate with a username and password or utilize anonymous logins
• Data is transferred in clear text, so it’s considered insecure
• Full-featured functionality:
o View, list, add, delete, etc. files and folders
• Uses two TCP ports by default:
o Port 20 for Data: Data Transfers
o Port 21 for Control: Commands
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Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)
Port: 22 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• A secure cryptographic version of FTP that uses SSH to provide encryption services.
o Provides file transfer over SSH
• Uses TCP port 22 by default (same port as SSH)
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Trivial File Transfer Protocol (TFTP)
Port: 69 Transport Layer Protocol: UDP
• A bare-bones version of FTP used for simple downloads
o Doesn’t support authentication
o Doesn’t support directory navigation
• Requires that you request the exact file (and location)
• Often used to transfer software images for routers and switches during upgrades
• Utilizes UDP port 69 by default
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Common TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols Section
Email Protocols
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Application Layer Email Protocols
• Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
• Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3)
• Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)
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Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP)
Port: 25 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Email protocol that is used to deliver emails from an email client (Outlook) to a
destination email server
• Can be configured to use encryption (recommended) or plain text
• Uses TCP Port 25 by default
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Post Office Protocol Version 3 (POP3)
Port: 110 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Email protocol that is used to retrieve emails from an email server
• Can be configured to use encryption (recommended) or plain text
• Uses TCP Port 110 by default
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Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP)
Port: 143 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Another email protocol that is quickly replacing POP3
• Allows users to access email on servers and either read the email on the server or
download the email to the client machine
• Popular when a user accesses email from multiple different devices
• Web-based email clients, such as Gmail, use IMAP
• Uses TCP port 143 by default
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Common TCP/IP Application Layer Protocols Section
Web Browser Application
Protocols
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Application Layer Web Browser Protocols
• Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
• HTTP Secure (HTTPS)
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Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP)
Port: 80 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• Protocol that provides browsing services for the World Wide Web (WWW)
o Retrieves the content of a web page from a web server
o Requests are made in hypertext markup language (HTML) and returned to your browser
in that format
• Data is sent in plain text
• Uses TCP Port 80 by default
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HTTP Secure (HTTPS)
Port: 443 Transport Layer Protocol: TCP
• HTTP over Secure Socket Layer (SSL) or Transport Layer Security (TLS)
• A secure version of HTTP that utilizes SSL/TLS to encrypts HTTP content
• Utilizes Public Key Infrastructure (PKI)
• Uses TCP Port 443 by default
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