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How to Check Tableau Server Port Number

Cody Schneider•

Trying to find your Tableau Server's port number can feel like a small but frustrating roadblock, especially when you need it for a firewall rule or to connect from Tableau Desktop. Fortunately, finding this information is straightforward once you know where to look. This article will show you several ways to quickly and easily locate your Tableau Server port number, whether you're a server administrator or just a user trying to get connected.

Why Tableau Server Ports Even Matter

In simple terms, ports are like virtual doors on a computer that allow different software applications to communicate over a network without getting their wires crossed. When you access Tableau Server, your browser or Tableau Desktop sends a request to the server's specific IP address and port number. The server "listens" on that port for incoming requests.

The main port you'll likely care about is the Gateway port. This is the primary listener for all HTTP/HTTPS traffic. By default, it's port 80 for HTTP and 443 for HTTPS, but it's often configured to use a different port, like 8080, in corporate environments to avoid conflicts.

You might need to know this port number for a few common reasons:

  • Firewall Configuration: Your network security team might need the specific port number to allow traffic to and from the Tableau Server.

  • Client Connectivity: When connecting from Tableau Desktop or via an API, you often need to specify the server address along with the port number (e.g., my-tableau-server.com:8080).

  • Troubleshooting: Connection errors are frequently related to incorrect port settings or firewalls blocking the required port. Knowing the correct port is the first step in diagnosing a problem.

  • Embedding: If you’re embedding Tableau views into another web application, the URL you use will need the right port.

Method 1: Using the TSM Command-Line Interface (CLI)

For server administrators, the Tableau Services Manager (TSM) command line is the most direct and reliable way to get a full list of all ports used by the various Tableau Server processes.

Follow these steps on the machine running Tableau Server:

Step 1: Open Terminal as an Administrator

First, you need to open a command prompt (on Windows) or a terminal session (on Linux) with administrative privileges. On Windows, you can do this by searching for "cmd" in the Start Menu, right-clicking it, and selecting "Run as administrator."

Step 2: Authenticate with TSM

If you're launching a new terminal session, you may need to log in to TSM before you can run commands.

You will be prompted for your password.

Step 3: Run the list-ports Command

Once you are logged in, simply run the command to list all the ports TSM has configured. This comprehensive command provides a complete view of every network port used by each Tableau service.

Step 4: Identify the Gateway Port

The command will return a list of services and their corresponding ports. You should see an output that looks something like this:

In this output, look for the service named gateway. The number in the "Port" column is the one you need. In this example, it's 80. This is the main port your users will connect through to access the Tableau user interface.

Method 2: Using the TSM Web Interface

If you prefer a graphical interface, you can also find this information within the TSM web UI. This is often easier than using the command line if you're already logged in.

Step 1: Navigate to the TSM Web Interface

Open a web browser on the server (or any machine that can access it) and go to your TSM URL. This URL is typically your server's name followed by port 8850.

Step 2: Log In

Enter your TSM administrator username and password to log in.

Step 3: Go to the Configuration Tab

Once you’re logged in, click on the Configuration tab at the top of the page. You will see a list of service configurations and settings.

Step 4: Find the Port Information

The exact location can vary slightly between versions, but you should find the Gateway port information here. In many versions, you can simply see the list of ports on the main configuration screen under the "Ports" section or by looking at the Gateway process settings. This view will explicitly state the port number assigned to the Gateway service.

Method 3: For Users Who Are Not Server Admins

What if you don't have administrative access to the server? You don't need to dig through configuration files. The answer is usually right in front of you.

Check the URL in Your Browser

The easiest way to find the port is to look at the URL you use to access Tableau Server every day. Open your browser and navigate to your Tableau dashboard page.

  • If your URL looks like http://your-tableau-server:8080/#/home, the port number is 8080. The format is always servername:port.

  • If your URL looks like http://your-tableau-server/ (with no port number), it is using the default HTTP port, which is 80.

  • If your URL starts with https:// and has no port number, like https://your-tableau-server/, it is using the default HTTPS port, which is 443.

In most cases, this is all you need. You're simply looking for the number that comes after the colon in the server address.

When in Doubt, Ask Your Admin

If you still can’t figure it out, the quickest solution is to contact your Tableau Server administrator or your company's IT department. They provisioned the server and will have this information on hand. Just ask them "What is the port number for our Tableau Server?" and they should be able to tell you immediately.

Advanced Method: Check the Configuration Files

For more technical users or in situations where TSM is not available, you can inspect the underlying configuration files. This is not a recommended daily practice but is useful for deep troubleshooting.

The core configuration for Tableau Server can be found in the workgroup.yml file, located in the Tableau Server data directory. The default path on Windows is:

If you open this YAML file, you can search for the gateway.port key. The value associated with this key is the port your server's Gateway process is using. Be extremely careful not to modify this file unless you are directed to do so by Tableau Support, as incorrect changes can break your entire installation.

Final Thoughts

Locating your Tableau Server port number is a fundamental step for configuration and troubleshooting. Whether you're an admin using the TSM command line and web UI, or an end-user checking your browser's URL, one of these methods will quickly give you the answer you need.

While managing server ports and infrastructure is a necessary part of traditional BI, many teams find that it distracts them from their main goal: getting insights from data. At Graphed, we remove this complexity entirely. We let you connect your data sources in just a few clicks and use natural language to create the dashboards you need. Instead of managing configuration files, you can just ask questions in plain English and get real-time, shareable reports instantly, so your team can focus on making data-driven decisions, not managing servers.