Port 6346Gnutella P2P
Port 6346 is primarily used by the Gnutella peer-to-peer (P2P) file sharing network, which enables decentralized sharing of files across anonymous participants. Popular applications such as FrostWire, LimeWire, and Shareaza have historically leveraged this port to facilitate connections, searches, and transfers without reliance on central servers..
- transport
- tcp · udp
- in transit
- cleartext
- assignment
- official
- risk
- 4/10
- lookups
- 13,607
2 transports registered
payload readable on path
registered with iana
caution
rank 264 of 993 · top 27%
Technical Details
what runs on :6346Overview: Port 6346 is widely recognized as the default port designated for Gnutella-based P2P networks. Gnutella operates as a decentralized mesh of clients (called servents) where each participant acts as both a client and server. This architecture supports search queries, file transfers, and messaging over the network.
Technical Functionality: Communication typically occurs over TCP using port 6346 for reliable transfer of search queries, metadata, and file fragments. UDP is also utilized for lightweight pinging and query routing to minimize connection overhead and bandwidth consumption. The lack of a central directory service means nodes dynamically discover and connect with other peers directly.
Protocol Evolution: Over time, the Gnutella protocol has evolved to enhance scalability, efficiency, and fault tolerance through features such as query routing, dynamic connection management, and support for firewalled peers via push proxies. Despite its age, derivatives and compatible clients may still use port 6346 for interoperability.
Security Information
exposure of :6346risk score
4/ 10caution
worth attention. how exposed you are depends on configuration — don't leave it reachable from the internet without a reason.
file transfer averages 4.1 across 114 ports — this one sits 0.1 below.
in transit
cleartext
credentials and payloads are readable by anyone on path
assignment
official
registered with iana for this service — scanners fingerprint it by number
reachable over
tcp · udp
udp is connectionless — source addresses are trivially spoofed and it is a reflection favourite
security overview
Common Vulnerabilities:
- Since Gnutella permits open peer connections, malicious actors can exploit this for distributing malware or performing man-in-the-middle attacks.
- Weak or absent authentication exposes the network to data poisoning, spam, and denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
- P2P clients can inadvertently leak sensitive information or files if improperly configured.
Common Mitigations:
- Employ firewalls to restrict inbound and outbound traffic on port 6346 when P2P services are not required.
- Use updated, reputable P2P clients with integrated malware filtering.
- Implement network monitoring to detect unauthorized P2P activity.
- Educate users regarding risks of file-sharing and best practices to limit accidental data exposure.
Related Ports
the 8 most looked-up other ports in file transfer — 114 ports carry that label.
| port | service | risk | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| :9080 | Groove RPC | TCPUDP | Web Services | caution | 70.8k |
| :17500 | Dropbox LAN Sync | TCPUDP | File Transfer | caution | 43.7k |
| :548 | Apple Filing Protocol | TCP | File Transfer | caution | 36.8k |
| :7000 | Vuze HTTPS Tracker | TCPtls | Security | caution | 28.9k |
| :1337 | PowerFolder P2P | TCP | Security | caution | 27.1k |
| :9001 | SharePoint Authoring | Web Services | caution | 26.3k | |
| :8080 | FilePhile Relay | UDP | File Transfer | caution | 25.6k |
| :1337 | WASTE Encrypted Sharing | TCP | Security | caution | 22.9k |
risk mix of the 8 listed
- caution100%
1 of 8 encrypted