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Conference noted::seal

Title:SEAL
Moderator:GALVIA::SMITH
Created:Mon Mar 21 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:1989
Total number of notes:8209

1890.0. "pop3 generic proxy help" by SNOFS1::stylia.sno.dec.com::snov14::stylianoua () Sun Mar 23 1997 18:00

I have setup the AVF NT 1.1. I have created a generic proxy
so that user on the internal net can access a pop3 server on the
external net. the port number used is port 110. But, the users have
many different popservers and you can only configure 1 110 port
configuration - I think.

So, I configured the port number to be another port say 1100. This
works can users can read there popmail. I am now confused about
port numbering and their purpose. Please explain. Also, are there
any implications when listening on a non-standard port?

Andrew Stylianou
NSIS Australia
T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
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1890.1CHEFS::espol1.gmt.dec.com::PITTGone with the winsock ...Mon Mar 24 1997 12:404
You need generic transparent relay for this.  It works on the field
test of AFWU V3 - I did it the other day.

T
1890.2BIGUN::nessus.cao.dec.com::MayneA wretched hive of scum and villainyMon Mar 24 1997 17:2038
But just so you know...

IANA (Internet Assigned Numbers Authority) assigns "well known" port numbers, 
e.g. port 25 for SMTP, 110 for POP3, etc. Any software written to use these 
services (e.g. a POP3 client) knows that, by default, it should connect to its 
appropriate port (e.g. port 110) on a server.

Of course you don't *have* to use the standard ports. There's nothing stopping 
you starting sendmail on port 119, except that all the other SMTP servers will 
still try and connect to port 25, and any NNTP server that tries to connect to 
the server will get might confused. That's why the port numbers are "well 
known".

Port numbers are essentially assigned at random. There's nothing special about 
SMTP using port 25, or NNTP using 119, they're just the ports that those 
protocols expect to use because once upon a time somebody pulled the numbers 
out of a hat.

In your case, you can't use port 110 for the second POP3 proxy, so you can just 
choose another port. It doesn't matter which port you use, as long as it doesn't 
conflict with something else (port 25, for instance). It doesn't matter that it 
isn't "well known", because the only people connecting to it know that it's 
different and can tell their POP3 clients accordingly.

You might want to choose a port less than 1024. Ports less than 1024 can only be 
bound to by root, whereas anybody can bind to a port over 1024. (Yes, I know 
that it's a firewall and there is only root, but some habits are good to pick 
up.)

The only implication is that some clients are so sure that you will only ever 
want to connect to port 110 that they don't provide a method to change the port 
they connect to. Most POP3 clients I've seen sensibly assume 110 by default and 
allow you to choose whatever else you want.

As .1 says, when the transparent generic proxy comes along, the POP3 clients 
will be able to specify the real server without worrying about the firewall.

PJDM
1890.3understoodSNOFS1::stylia.sno.dec.com::snov14::stylianouaMon Mar 24 1997 17:4210
Thanks

I now have a much better understanding!

Yes there are some clients, like  versions of Eudora that don't 
allow you to change the port number or at least make it very hard
to.

Andrew Stylianou
NSIS