What do ports look like? I’m going to feel really dumb for asking this and like I’m throwing myself to the wolves here. I have a pretty high spectrum in networking knowledge and just now I just realized I don’t know everything about ports. Just something I learned to use as a kid and then later on just was comfortable and used to using in my daily life. So it just dawned on me basically.
So are ports a physical thing? Something in your network card / wireless gateway or just a program listening for specific data structures and information dedicated to that service?
All this time I kind of just thought of ports as a physical pin, hole, receiver like object built into my router or network card. I feel that I am about to greatly be disappointed since I just thought of the idea that they could be a little piece of software forwarding assigned information like a softwares process id or something to differentiate what service to use to handle that connection opposed to having an actual established connection to a physical piece of hardware that handles the information. But then when you have a connection and use multiple services on the same port those connections get messed up, are slow, and are all screwy. But with an ethernet cable there is no way so many pins and stuff could go in there. Unless it’s in your router…. or even the modem, but then that last part doesn’t really make sense because everything would have to be done in the LAN and you’re firewall would have no way of detecting something in the modem. At least I don’t think so…. Maybe there’s ports on every device? I know from an old graphic 90’s cartoon that the router was depicted recieving Mr. TCP and filtering out all of the malicious packets, therefore I think they would be there. I’m completely tired and confused, but this won’t let me sleep whatsoever. Please bare with me even if I sound completely dumb. I’ve tried doing research and cannot seem to find an answer at all.
Yes I am aware that ports are part of the TCP/IP suite and handle connectios, internet, network, 16-bit, and all of those other essential information you should know. I’m missing the very very very first thing. I know how a port functions but not what it is. Just think of it in Dr. Steve Brules voice when I ask this very stupidly. What is a port? Where is a port? What does one look like, what does a port smell like, or what even does it taste like? What does the port feel like? Let’s check it out! No seriously though, I feel like a big dingus and really stupid for asking this and at this point in my experience think I should know this. When I first learned anything about networking I just learned the things I needed to know to get the job done. I hope this makes sense and my question gets answered. Wish it could’ve been said better but since I’m lacking the brain capacity, nope. Thanks guys if I fall asleep.
