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High port (10001–65535) Standard/Low risk

Port 18668 VDMMESH

Quick answer

Port 18668 has a different IANA assignment for each transport protocol: TCP vdmmesh; UDP vdmmesh-disc.

Check and block Is it safe? Troubleshooting FAQ
TransportTCP / UDP
RiskStandard/Low
Typical useCustom high ports

What is port 18668 used for?

Port 18668 carries a different IANA service on each transport protocol: TCP vdmmesh; UDP vdmmesh-disc. It sits above the registered range, where most numbers are transient client ports. A fixed high port is worth documenting precisely because tooling often assumes the default. The same port is also registered under vdmmesh-disc.

Each transport reaches a different service on this number, so match the protocol to the service you are diagnosing. A TCP check says nothing about a UDP listener on the same port, and the reverse is also true. Both transports still bind to the same number, which is why two processes can collide even when they use different protocols.

Use the commands below to confirm whether port 18668 is actually in use before you change firewall rules. Blocking the port stops new inbound traffic at the firewall, but it does not stop a local process from listening, and it does not remove the service from the machine.

Source: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry. Registered assignee: [Van_Doren_MES].

Check and block port 18668

Copy-ready commands for the protocols assigned to this port. Run the check first, then block only what should not be reachable.

Check on Linux

sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :18668' sudo ss -ulpn 'sport = :18668'

Check on Windows

Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 18668 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 18668 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

Block with UFW

sudo ufw deny 18668/tcp sudo ufw deny 18668/udp

Block with iptables

sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 18668 -j DROP sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 18668 -j DROP

These commands are examples for a typical host. Check the listener before you change firewall rules, and persist iptables rules with iptables-save or netfilter-persistent. On Windows, use Windows Defender Firewall or New-NetFirewallRule for persistent blocks. The iptables rules here cover IPv4; mirror them with ip6tables if IPv6 is enabled.

Is port 18668 safe to expose?

Standard/Low

This port is not on our curated list of services with a widely exploited profile. Exposure is only safe when the listening service is intended, patched and protected by a firewall. Keep the listening service patched and remove it if unused. A default-deny firewall policy with explicit allow rules is still the safest baseline.

Where port 18668 is usually used

Most traffic on port 18668 falls into these scenarios. The demo below is a safe way to confirm the listener before you change anything.

Demo

Probe the port

Confirm something is listening before you debug the client. This checks a TCP handshake on the port.

nc -vz 127.0.0.1 18668

Common problems with port 18668

Connection refused or timed out

Refused usually means the host is reachable but nothing is listening on port 18668. A timeout more often means a firewall drop, a wrong host or a service bound to a different interface.

Port already in use

Find the process holding the port with sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :18668' or sudo lsof -i :18668. Stop that process or configure it to bind another port; killing it without identifying it can take down a production service.

Firewall rule did not survive a reboot

UFW and Windows Firewall keep rules across restarts. Raw iptables rules do not: save them with iptables-save or the netfilter-persistent package, and re-apply after upgrades that reset the ruleset.

The port is blocked but still reachable

A firewall rule filters inbound traffic; it does not close the listener. Confirm with the check command above and bind the service to 127.0.0.1 when only local clients need it.

Port 18668 at a glance

Port number18668
Service namevdmmesh
Aliasesvdmmesh-disc
Transport protocolTCP / UDP
Assignments by protocol
  • TCP vdmmesh — Manufacturing Execution Systems Mesh Communication
  • UDP vdmmesh-disc — Manufacturing Execution Systems Mesh Communication
CategoryCustom high ports
RangeHigh port (10001–65535)
Risk levelStandard/Low
Registered assignee[Van_Doren_MES]
Registry descriptionManufacturing Execution Systems Mesh Communication
SourceIANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry

Frequently asked questions

What is port 18668 used for?

Port 18668 (VDMMESH). The IANA registry assigns a different service on each transport protocol: TCP vdmmesh; UDP vdmmesh-disc.

How do I check if port 18668 is open?

On Linux run `sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :18668'` and `sudo ss -ulpn 'sport = :18668'`. On Windows run `Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 18668 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` and `Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 18668 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` in PowerShell. If the port is open, the output shows a process listening on port 18668; empty output usually means nothing is bound to it.

How do I block port 18668?

With UFW run `sudo ufw deny 18668/tcp` and `sudo ufw deny 18668/udp`. With iptables run `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 18668 -j DROP` and `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 18668 -j DROP`. Persist the iptables rules with your distribution's netfilter-persistent or iptables-save tooling so they survive a reboot.

Is port 18668 safe to expose?

This port is not on our curated list of services with a widely exploited profile. Exposure is only safe when the listening service is intended, patched and protected by a firewall. Nevertheless, keep the listening service patched and remove it if unused. A default-deny firewall policy with explicit allow rules is still the safest baseline.

Primary data: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry.

Last reviewed 2026-10-30 · Methodology · About · Privacy