We currently live in a digital world surrounded by technological devices and networks. Everything from our beloved smartphones to your computers, laptops, and other digital devices connect using either a wired or wireless medium to function in communion. However, to link these devices with each other, you need to satisfy some physical and virtual requirements.
Ports and connectors are a common medium to connect two or more digital devices in a network. There are different ports in the various devices we use in our everyday life. However, in this article, we will be focusing on one particular Port, Port 445. We will share everything you need to know about it, starting from what is port 445 to its usage and how to enable and disable it on your computer.
What is Port 445?
Port 445 is a traditional networking port found in Microsoft-powered devices. It is among the latest versions of the Server Message Block Protocol for communication between various devices. In layman’s terms, an SMB allows you to connect different devices such as computers and printers to a network and enable data sharing within the web.
Using an SMB network, devices become enabled to request file servers and use their offered resources like sharing a printer, named pipes, and mail slots. In short, if you want to allow Windows file and printer sharing properties, then you should enable Port 445 on your computer.
Use of Port 445
We hope that you now have a basic understanding of what a TCP port 445 is and how it can enable your computer to communicate with other devices on your network. Let us now learn why we use port 445 and how it can benefit you in data sharing.
Port 445, or SMB over IP, has several applications, focusing on the network connectivity protocol at the application level. This Port plays a massive role in TCP/IP networking without a NetBIOS layer. In addition, port 445 is essential for Windows File and Printer sharing on an inter-connected network.
How to enable and disable Port 445?
We are sure that reading the above information answered your question, what is port 445? After learning its uses, it’s time to learn how to enable and disable this Port on your Windows 10-powered computer. But before we start sharing how to open or stop, here is a quick test to help you identify the current status of Port 445 on your device.
Check the status of Port 445 on your computer:
- On your Windows device, click the Windows+R key combination. It will prompt you to the Run box.
- Enter ‘cmd’ to go to Command Prompt. There type “netstat –na” and press the Enter key.
- This command will prompt the device to scan all the connected ports in their state.
- You can check on the list the status for Port 445. If the last column reads LISTENING, that means the Port is open.
How to enable Port 445?
- On your device, go to the start menu and open the control panel by typing Control Panel on the search bar.
- After opening it, click on Windows Defender Firewall. Next, select the Advanced Settings option in the upper left-hand corner of the screen.
- If prompted, add the administrative password of the device to proceed further. Next, click on Inbound Rules, which appears in the upper left corner of your screen.
- Under the available options, select New Rule and select Port. Click on Next at the bottom of the window.
- Choose between the two protocols, TCP or UDP, to make a suitable choice based on your program’s support documentation.
- Select the Specific local ports option. In the field next to it, type the ports you want to enable, in this case, 445. Click on the Next prompt at the bottom.
- Select the Allow the connection option before proceeding to the next screen. Click on all the profile boxes, Domain, Private and Public, and click on Next at the bottom.
- Enter the name of your Port 445 and click on Finish to save your port settings. You have enabled this new Port on your Windows computer.
How to disable Port 445?
- 1. Start by opening the Control Panel on your device and selecting the Windows Firewall, followed by the Advanced Settings option.
- 2. Like enabling port 445, click on Inbound Rules and select New Rule. Select Port and TCP protocol on the next screen that prompts.
- 3. Click on Specific Local Ports and enter code 445 in the adjacent field. Click on Next to proceed further.
- 4. On the following prompt, select the Block the connection option followed by Next at the bottom corner of the window.
- 5. If you have created the rule by Properties, click on Protocols and Ports, followed by Local Port. Pick Specific Ports and enter 445 in the below field.
- 6. Select the Block Port 445 option, and you will successfully disable port 445 on your device.
Port 445 vulnerability
This article would be incomplete if we didn’t address the vulnerabilities and potential security threats related to TCP 445. As we all know, there are several ports on your device that can either stay open or closed based on your preference without affecting your device performance or data connectivity. However, Port 445 is not one of them and is best left disabled to protect your device from any security breaches.
It is highly advisable to keep port 445 on your computer closed. It will help you prevent hacking or spoofing attacks and protect the sensitive data on your device. However, leaving this Port on for extended periods exposes your data to ransomware and NetBIOS worms. So, if you want to keep the information on your device from being compromised, disable port 445.
Conclusion
We hope that going through this article helped you understand everything worth knowing about Port 445. We have explained in great detail what Port 445 is and the purposes of using the Port. By reading this article, you will also learn how to enable and disable port 445 on your Windows device.
We are sure that this article has resolved all your doubts and questions about port 445 and addressed the security vulnerability issues related to this Port. For in-depth information about Port 445 and to learn how to enable and disable it, refer to our comprehensive guide above.
