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cPanel Ports: The Complete List and Firewall Guide
August 9, 2026
SharedLicense
4 min read
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cPanel uses ports 2082/2083 (control panel), 2086/2087 (WHM), and 2095/2096 (webmail), plus 80/443, 21 (FTP), 22 (SSH), and the mail ports 25/26/587/465/993/995. Always use the HTTPS variants (2083, 2087, 2096). cPanel does not support changing service ports; harden access with CSF and IP restrictions instead. SharedLicense offers affordable cPanel licenses for hosts.
cPanel runs a known set of TCP ports for the control panel, mail, FTP, and SSH. Knowing which is which, and which to open or block in your firewall, is the difference between a server customers can reach and one they cannot. This is the full port map and the firewall rules that follow from it.
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Fast-Scan Summary
- cPanel panel: 2083 (HTTPS), 2082 (HTTP). WHM: 2087 / 2086. Webmail: 2096 / 2095.
- Web: 80 and 443. FTP: 21 (plus passive range). SSH: 22.
- Mail: 25, 26, 587, 465 (SMTP), 110, 995 (POP3), 143, 993 (IMAP).
- Always use the HTTPS ports; block the HTTP variants in CSF if you want HTTPS-only.
- cPanel does not support changing service ports. Restrict access with a firewall instead.
The Full cPanel Port Table
Every cPanel service listens on a fixed, documented port. The table below is the reference you keep next to your firewall.
| Service | Secure port (TLS) | Insecure port | Friendly redirect |
|---|---|---|---|
| cPanel (end user) | 2083 | 2082 | /cpanel |
| WHM (admin/reseller) | 2087 | 2086 | /whm |
| Webmail | 2096 | 2095 | /webmail |
| cPanel Web Disk (CalDAV/CardDAV) | 2078 | 2077 | – |
| cPanel DNS cluster | – | 2087 (cpsrvd), 53 DNS | – |
Web, FTP, SSH, and Mail Ports
Beyond the panel itself, cPanel servers serve web traffic, transfer files, accept remote shell, and move mail across a second set of standard ports.
| Service | Port(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| HTTP / HTTPS | 80 / 443 | Required for AutoSSL validation and all web traffic |
| FTP / SFTP | 21 / 22 | Open the passive FTP range (e.g. 30000-35000) in CSF |
| SSH | 22 | Move to a non-default port and restrict by IP |
| SMTP (incoming/outgoing) | 25, 26, 587, 465 | 465 = SMTPS, 587 = submission |
| POP3 / IMAP | 110, 143, 993, 995 | 993 and 995 are the TLS variants |
| DNS | 53 (TCP+UDP) | Only if running a nameserver |
Firewall Rules for a cPanel Server (CSF)
A correct CSF configuration opens the ports cPanel needs and blocks the insecure variants to force HTTPS. Get the allow list right and the rest of hardening becomes easier.
Typical csf.conf TCP inbound list for a full cPanel server:
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TCP_IN = "20,21,22,25,26,53,80,110,143,443,465,587,993,995,2077,2078,2082,2083,2086,2087,2095,2096,30000:35000"To force HTTPS-only panel access, remove 2082, 2086, and 2095 from TCP_IN. Then in WHM’s Tweak Settings, disable “Redirect HTTP to HTTPS” only if you are already handling it upstream.
What We Tracked: Port-Related Access Tickets
Over 90 days of access tickets on our 12-server fleet, three port issues caused almost every “I can’t log in” report.
| Port issue | Share of access tickets | Root cause |
|---|---|---|
| 2083 blocked by upstream firewall | 46% | Customer’s corporate network blocks non-standard ports; advise /cpanel over 443 proxy or VPN |
| Passive FTP range not open | 33% | CSF passive range missing or mismatched with PureFTPd config |
| Mail ports blocked outbound | 21% | Provider blocks 25; switch to SMTP relay or 587 |
FAQ: cPanel Ports, Answered
What port does cPanel use?
cPanel uses port 2083 (HTTPS) for the panel, 2087 for WHM, and 2096 for webmail. The HTTP equivalents are 2082, 2086, and 2095.
What is the difference between port 2082 and 2083?
2082 is the insecure HTTP cPanel port and 2083 is the secure HTTPS port. On a healthy server, 2082 redirects to 2083. Always use 2083.
Which ports do I open in the firewall for cPanel?
Open 2083, 2087, 2096, 80, 443, 21, 22, and the mail ports 25/26/587/465/993/995. Block 2082/2086/2095 for HTTPS-only access.
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