10IPS IP & network intelligence
Port 500

Port 500 (IPsec IKE) — check if it's open

IPsec VPN key exchange (UDP).

Port 500 is usually UDP — a TCP check may show closed even when the service works.

Defaults to your IP: 216.73.216.200. Up to 12 ports per check; ranges up to 10 ports (e.g. 8000-8010).

FAQ

What is port 500 used for?

Port 500 — IPsec IKE. IPsec VPN key exchange (UDP).

How do I open port 500?

1) Make sure the app listens on 0.0.0.0, not 127.0.0.1. 2) Allow the port in your firewall (Windows Defender Firewall inbound rule; Linux: ufw allow 500). 3) Forward the port on your router to your computer's LAN IP. 4) Make sure you have a public (non-CGNAT) IP. 5) Verify it here.

Is it safe to keep port 500 open?

Only open it if the service must be reachable from the internet, keep the software patched and use strong authentication. Put databases, SMB, RDP and admin panels behind a VPN.

Other ports

465 SMTPS445 SMB443 HTTPS587 SMTP submission389 LDAP161 SNMP853 DNS over TLS143 IMAP123 NTP110 POP380 HTTP53 DNS All ports →