Port 691 MSEXCH-ROUTING
Port 691 is the IANA-assigned msexch-routing port for MS Exchange Routing (TCP / UDP).
What is port 691 used for?
Port 691 is assigned to msexch-routing and uses TCP / UDP. The IANA registry describes the service as “MS Exchange Routing”. It sits in the well-known range, which operating systems reserve for core network services, so software expects it at this number by default.
Ports are the transport-layer address a service listens on. A client that wants to reach msexch-routing connects to port 691. A TCP connection is refused when nothing is listening, while a UDP request simply goes unanswered. That is why a port conflict appears whenever two processes try to bind the same number.
Use the commands below to confirm whether port 691 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 Networking and proxies ports
Source: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry. Registered assignee: [David_Lemson].
Check and block port 691
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 = :691'
sudo ss -ulpn 'sport = :691'Check on Windows
Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 691 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 691 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinueBlock with UFW
sudo ufw deny 691/tcp
sudo ufw deny 691/udpBlock with iptables
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 691 -j DROP
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 691 -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 691 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 691 is usually used
Most traffic on port 691 falls into these scenarios. The demo below is a safe way to confirm the listener before you change anything.
- Routers, switches and proxies exchanging routing or session information.
- Clients sending traffic through a forward or reverse proxy on port 691.
- Troubleshooting path selection, NAT or proxy rules during an outage.
Probe the network service
Check reachability from a host on the same path before you inspect device configuration.
nc -vz 127.0.0.1 691Common problems with port 691
Connection refused or timed out
Refused usually means the host is reachable but nothing is listening on port 691. 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 = :691' or sudo lsof -i :691. 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 691 at a glance
| Port number | 691 |
|---|---|
| Service name | msexch-routing |
| Transport protocol | TCP / UDP |
| Category | Networking and proxies |
| Range | Well-known port (0–1023) |
| Risk level | Standard/Low |
| Registered assignee | [David_Lemson] |
| Registry description | MS Exchange Routing |
| Source | IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry |
Frequently asked questions
What is port 691 used for?
Port 691 (MSEXCH-ROUTING) uses TCP / UDP. MS Exchange Routing.
How do I check if port 691 is open?
On Linux run `sudo ss -tlpn 'sport = :691'` and `sudo ss -ulpn 'sport = :691'`. On Windows run `Get-NetTCPConnection -LocalPort 691 -State Listen -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` and `Get-NetUDPEndpoint -LocalPort 691 -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue` in PowerShell. If the port is open, the output shows a process listening on port 691; empty output usually means nothing is bound to it.
How do I block port 691?
With UFW run `sudo ufw deny 691/tcp` and `sudo ufw deny 691/udp`. With iptables run `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 691 -j DROP` and `sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 691 -j DROP`. Persist the iptables rules with your distribution's netfilter-persistent or iptables-save tooling so they survive a reboot.
Is port 691 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.
Related ports
Primary data: IANA Service Name and Transport Protocol Port Number Registry.
Last reviewed 2026-10-30 · Methodology · About · Privacy