Port 6697 IRCS-U
Port 6697 is the IANA-assigned ircs-u port for Internet Relay Chat via TLS/SSL (TCP).
What is port 6697 used for?
Port 6697 is assigned to ircs-u and uses TCP. The IANA registry describes the service as “Internet Relay Chat via TLS/SSL”. It sits in the registered range, the block used by databases, application servers and developer tooling. Port conflicts here are common when several local services start at once.
Ports are the transport-layer address a service listens on. A client that wants to reach ircs-u connects to port 6697. If nothing is listening, the connection is refused. That is why a port conflict appears whenever two processes try to bind the same number.
Use the commands below to confirm whether port 6697 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.
Browse all Message queues and streaming ports
Source: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry. Reference: [RFC 7194].
Check and block port 6697
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 = :6697'Check on Windows
Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 6697 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinueBlock with UFW
sudo ufw deny 6697/tcpBlock with iptables
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6697 -j DROPThese 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 6697 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. 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 6697 is usually used
Most traffic on port 6697 falls into these scenarios. The demo below is a safe way to confirm the listener before you change anything.
- Producers publishing events and consumers subscribing to topics or queues.
- Microservices decoupling background work through a broker on port 6697.
- Local development brokers running in Docker with a published port.
Probe the broker
A TCP probe confirms the listener before you chase authentication or topic errors.
nc -vz 127.0.0.1 6697Common problems with port 6697
Connection refused or timed out
Refused usually means the host is reachable but nothing is listening on port 6697. 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 = :6697' or sudo lsof -i :6697. 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 6697 at a glance
| Port number | 6697 |
|---|---|
| Service name | ircs-u |
| Transport protocol | TCP |
| Category | Message queues and streaming |
| Range | Registered port (1024–10000) |
| Risk level | Standard/Low |
| Registered assignee | Not listed |
| Reference | [RFC 7194] |
| Registry description | Internet Relay Chat via TLS/SSL |
| Source | IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry |
Frequently asked questions
What is port 6697 used for?
Port 6697 (IRCS-U) uses TCP. Internet Relay Chat via TLS/SSL.
How do I check if port 6697 is open?
On Linux run `sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :6697'`. On Windows run `Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 6697 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` in PowerShell. If the port is open, the output shows a process listening on port 6697; empty output usually means nothing is bound to it.
How do I block port 6697?
With UFW run `sudo ufw deny 6697/tcp`. With iptables run `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 6697 -j DROP`. Persist the iptables rules with your distribution's netfilter-persistent or iptables-save tooling so they survive a reboot.
Is port 6697 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.
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Primary data: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry.
Last reviewed 2026-10-30 · Methodology · About · Privacy