Port/TCP Monitor
Opens a raw TCP connection to a hostname and port on a schedule - for anything that isn't HTTP.
A Port/TCP monitor is the right tool for anything that doesn't speak HTTP: a database, a mail server, an SSH endpoint, a game server, or any custom TCP service. Rather than sending a request and checking the response, it simply attempts a raw TCP connection to the hostname and port you give it - if the connection is accepted within your timeout, the service is up; if it's refused, times out, or the host is unreachable, it's down.
How this uptime monitor works
- Add the hostname or IP address and the port you want to check.
- Pick a check interval and a connection timeout.
- Kawze attempts a raw TCP connection to that host:port on each check using Node's built-in networking - no request is sent and no response is read, just whether the connection is accepted.
- A run of consecutive failed connections triggers an alert by email or SMS to whichever team members you choose, plus a recovery alert the moment it clears.
Port/TCP Monitor features
Every feature this monitor supports, and which plan it's included on.
Raw TCP connect check
FreeWorks for any TCP service - databases, mail servers, SSH, game servers, or anything else that isn't HTTP.
Configurable timeout
FreeSet how long to wait for the connection to be accepted, from 1 to 60 seconds, before the check counts as failed.
Down-alert threshold
FreeChoose how many consecutive failed connections must happen before an alert actually fires - tolerate a brief blip before notifying.
Tags and groups
FreeOrganize Port/TCP monitors alongside your other monitors.
Email and SMS alerts
FreePer team member, per status (up/down), open and recovery alerts on every channel.
Webhooks and Slack alerts
FreeSend outgoing webhooks to any URL, or wire this monitor into Slack.
10-second check interval
Max+The fastest available interval for this monitor, for when every second of downtime matters.
30-second check interval
Mid+A faster interval than the default 5-minute floor.
What's free and what's paywalled
- The connection check, timeout, down-alert threshold, and every alert channel are available on every plan, including Free.
- What scales with plan is check frequency and monitor count: Free and Entry run every Port/TCP monitor at a 5-minute interval, Mid unlocks 30 seconds, and Max unlocks 10 seconds.
- Port/TCP monitors count against the same account-wide monitor limit as every other type (5 to 300, by plan).
Frequently asked questions
What can I monitor with a Port/TCP monitor?
Anything that accepts raw TCP connections - a database server, a mail server (SMTP/IMAP), SSH, a game server, or any custom service that doesn't speak HTTP.
How is this different from an HTTP monitor?
An HTTP monitor sends a real request and checks the response. A Port/TCP monitor just attempts a raw connection and checks whether it's accepted - no request is sent, no response is read, which is what makes it work for non-HTTP services.
Is this free to use?
Yes. Kawze's Free plan includes 5 monitors with full access to Port/TCP monitoring at a 5-minute check interval - Mid and Max unlock faster intervals.