TCP/Port Monitoring — Why It Matters (and How to Do It Right)

Many people focus only on HTTP or Ping checks when setting up uptime monitoring. But real-world services rely on multiple protocols and ports — web servers, mail servers, APIs, and databases. Monitoring those directly via TCP/Port checks helps catch downtime that other methods may miss.

What Is TCP/Port Monitoring?

TCP/Port monitoring checks whether a specific network port on your server is open and responding. For example:

Port 80 / 443: Web servers (HTTP/HTTPS)
Port 25 / 587: Mail servers (SMTP)
Port 3306: MySQL database
Port 22: SSH (remote access)

If a port doesn’t respond, the corresponding service may be unavailable — even if the server itself is still up and responding to ping.

Why It Matters

Detects Partial Outages: The server may be online but a service like MySQL or SMTP might be down.
Validates Configuration Changes: If a firewall or security update blocks a port, TCP checks detect it immediately.
Improves Service Reliability: Monitoring each critical port gives early warning before users notice problems.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Monitoring only port 80: Many websites rely on databases or APIs that use other ports.
Ignoring TLS/SSL ports: If port 443 fails, HTTPS users won’t be able to connect even if HTTP still works.
No alerts for secondary services: A website may look fine, but your mail or background job processor could be down.

Best Practices for Effective TCP Monitoring

Monitor all key ports: web (80, 443), mail (25, 587), and database (3306).
Set proper retry thresholds to avoid false positives from temporary network delays.
Run checks from multiple geographic locations to confirm real downtime.
Combine with HTTP and SSL checks for complete visibility.

For Beginners and Business Owners

If you run an online store or SaaS, don’t assume your hosting provider monitors every service. Setting up TCP/Port checks ensures your critical systems are truly online — not just your homepage.

Conclusion

TCP/Port monitoring fills the gaps left by basic uptime checks. With UptyBots, you can easily track your most important services and detect downtime before it affects your customers.

Get started today — explore tutorials or view plans to start monitoring smarter.