Port 3283: Apple Remote Desktop
Port 3283 is used by Apple Remote Desktop's Net Assistant reporting feature to collect status information from managed Macs. Screen sharing itself typically rides over VNC on port 5900.
| Port number | 3283 |
|---|---|
| Service | Apple Remote Desktop (Net Assistant) |
| Protocol | UDP |
| Category | Remote access |
| Default encryption | No |
How do I check whether port 3283 is open?
Port 3283 is UDP, which changes the answer: there is no handshake to complete, so nothing outside the host can prove the port is open. Asking the host itself is the reliable route.
| Question | Command | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Is it open on a remote host? | sudo nmap -sU -p 3283 example.com | UDP has no handshake, so there is nothing to complete. nmap infers the state from whether an ICMP port-unreachable comes back, needs root, and is slow and easy to misread. A silent port may be open, filtered, or simply not replying to a probe it does not recognise. |
| What is listening locally? | ss -ulnp | grep ':3283 ' | Shows the UDP socket bound to port 3283. This is the reliable way to answer the question, because you are asking the host itself rather than guessing from outside. |
Replace example.com with the host you are testing. A blocked port and a port with nothing listening on it look identical from the outside, so if a service should be running, check locally before blaming the firewall.
Frequently asked questions
What is port 3283 used for?
Port 3283 is used by Apple Remote Desktop's Net Assistant reporting feature to collect status information from managed Macs. Screen sharing itself typically rides over VNC on port 5900.
Is port 3283 TCP or UDP?
Port 3283 (Apple Remote Desktop) uses UDP.
Is port 3283 secure?
Port 3283 is not encrypted by default. Where possible, use an encrypted alternative or tunnel it over TLS or a VPN.
Should I open port 3283 on my firewall?
Only if you specifically need Apple Remote Desktop. Expose it to the smallest set of trusted sources, and never open database or Windows-service ports to the whole internet.