What You’ll Learn
- Network ports used by MainWP
- The exact User-Agent string format
- When you need this information
Network Ports
MainWP uses standard HTTP/HTTPS ports for all communication:
MainWP does not use custom ports. If your child site is accessible via a web browser, MainWP can communicate with it using the same ports.
User-Agent String
MainWP identifies itself with this User-Agent when connecting to child sites:5.4.0.16 in this example) changes with each MainWP Dashboard release. The format remains consistent:
When You Need This Information
Firewall Configuration
If your hosting provider or server firewall blocks unknown traffic, whitelist:Security Plugin Rules
Some security plugins (Wordfence, Sucuri, iThemes Security) may block requests from unfamiliar User-Agents. Add MainWP’s User-Agent to your allowlist if connections fail.Troubleshooting Blocked Connections
If child sites won’t connect, check:- Server logs for blocked requests containing “MainWP” in the User-Agent
- Firewall logs for denied connections on ports 80/443
- Security plugin logs for blocked bot traffic
Self-Check Checklist
- Ports 80 and 443 are open for outbound connections from Dashboard
- Ports 80 and 443 are open for inbound connections on child sites
- MainWP User-Agent is whitelisted in any security plugins
- No firewall rules blocking MainWP traffic
Related Resources
- Connection Test Results Status Codes - Interpret connection errors
- How Secure is the MainWP Plugin - Security overview