Does listening port change on its own?

dddkkk · #1 (**permalink**) November 23rd, 2007

I apologize in advance for posting this question here but I posted it in "another" forum weeks ago and received no responses at all.

Im a Phex user and big fan (so it kind of applies) and I always get a great response from the Phex forum.

I had a host IP address in my list of favorites. I havent been able to connect recently and then came across that host in a keyword search today. I see that the listening port has changed from the 39000 block to the 42000 block. Ive noticed that a few of my favorite hosts have changed port numbers in the last few months. Im certain that they are the same hosts as previously and using the same IPs. I very much doubt that the users intentionally changed the listening ports.

Is there any reason that the listening port would change (in LW 4.14 and 4.12 in this case) on an existing installation, on its own, without the user intentionally changing it?

Thanks
Dave

GregorK · #2 (**permalink**) November 24th, 2007

Phex chooses a random port after a fresh installation or deletion of configuration files. Otherwise it will not change ports.
Except if the configured port is already in use, in this case Phex adds 1 to the port until a free port was found. What LW does I cant tell.

arne_bab · #3 (**permalink**) November 28th, 2007

I don't know about LWs behaviour either... Too many things changed since I last used LW.

But I think it might well be possible that they change the port, so clients don't get hammered when their IP gets too widespread (or happens to be put into a static IP list of some hammering client - there are some of those out there (i.e. old emule versions, iirc)).