Port 67 — DHCP server
UDP well-known
What runs on port 67
Hands out IP addresses to clients on a local network.
Security considerations
Two DHCP servers on one network cause address conflicts — a classic cause of "the internet is down" in small offices.
Checking whether something is listening
# Linux / macOS — what is bound to the port
sudo lsof -i :67
sudo ss -lntp | grep :67
# Windows
netstat -ano | findstr :67
Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 67
# is it reachable from outside?
nc -zv example.com 67
curl -v telnet://example.com:67
Freeing the port
# find the process, then stop it
sudo lsof -ti :67 | xargs kill # Linux / macOS
netstat -ano | findstr :67 # note the PID, then:
taskkill /PID <pid> /F # Windows
Should this port be open to the internet?
Usually not. Expose it only if a specific external client needs it, and restrict by source address where you can.
Quick reference
| Port | 67 |
| Protocol | UDP |
| Service | DHCP server |
| Range | Well-known (0–1023) — binding requires root on Unix |
Frequently asked questions
What is port 67 used for?
Hands out IP addresses to clients on a local network.
Is it safe to open port 67?
Two DHCP servers on one network cause address conflicts — a classic cause of "the internet is down" in small offices.
How do I check if port 67 is open?
Locally, sudo lsof -i :67 on macOS or Linux, or netstat -ano | findstr :67 on Windows. From outside, nc -zv host 67 tells you whether anything answers.
Why do I get "address already in use" on port 67?
Another process is bound to it — often a previous run of your own program that did not exit cleanly. Find it with lsof -ti :67 and stop it, or configure your application to use a different port.
Can I change the port this service uses?
Almost always yes, in the service's configuration. Moving off a default port reduces automated scan noise, but it is obfuscation rather than security — a real attacker scans all 65,535.