How to Fix "Apache not istening on Port 443"?

For Windows servers, Apache is an open-source web server that may be downloaded for free. Although installing an Apache web server on Windows is a straightforward process, the steps you follow may vary depending on the version of Windows you are using.

Apache may not be listening on port 443 for several reasons like these

1. Incorrect setting of Apache:

• Incorrect entries in the Apache configuration file are frequently the cause of problems with port 443. As an illustration, certain clients might include the 'Listen' directive in the specific SSL including files located at /Apache24/conf/extra/httpd-ssl.conf. However, you can overlook turning on the Include line in the main /Apache24/httpd.conf file. As a result, the port 443 connection can fail.
• Similarly, issues with secure websites can also arise from repeated Listen statements, sites referring to incorrect IP addresses, etc. Once more, even though the Apache configuration entries might be accurate, the server won't support SSL modules. This once more prevents SSL from operating.

2. The port is currently in use:

• Another cause for the failure of port 443 could be that another service is running on that port.
• In these situations, Apache is unable to establish a secure SSL connection because port 443 is already in use.

3. Blocks on firewalls

• Firewalls are another typical cause of Apache not listening on port 443.
• This can be the internal firewall of the server. Apache would listen on port 443 only when there are particular rules to accept connections.

This troubleshooting guide will assist you in resolving this issue

Step 1: Launch the configuration file for Apache

• The default location of the Apache 2.4 configuration file is C:\Program Files\Apache24\conf\httpd.conf.
• Using a text editor such as Notepad or Visual Studio Code, open the configuration file.

Step 2: Verify that the directive 'Listen 443' is present and uncommented

• Check the configuration file for the line Listen 443.
• To uncomment a line that has been commented out (that is, if it begins with the # symbol), remove the # symbol.
• Add the line to the configuration file if it doesn't already exist.
• After making your edits, exit the text editor.

Step 3: Look into further services using port 443 for listening:

• Launch the command prompt in administrator mode.
• To see if there are any other services listening on port 443, issue the following command:

netstat -ano | findstr :443

• It might be necessary to cease any other services that are listening on port 443 or modify their port configuration.

Step 4: Set up the SSL configuration:

• Ensure that the files containing your SSL certificates, such as server.crt and server.key, are stored in a secure area.
• Open the C:\Program Files\Apache24\conf\extra\httpd-ssl.conf file that contains the Apache SSL settings.
• Include the paths to the SSL certificate files when configuring the SSL settings in the configuration file.

Step5: Turn the SSL module on:

• Launch the command prompt in administrator mode.
• To make the SSL module active, execute the following command:

ssl_module | findstr -t -D DUMP_MODULES

• Add the following line to the Apache configuration file to load the SSL module if it isn't already loaded:

LoadModule modules/mod_ssl.so ssl_module modules

• After making your edits, exit the text editor.

Step 6: Adjust the firewall configuration

• Open the Advanced Security interface to launch the Windows Defender Firewall.
• Make a new TCP/UDP incoming rule for port 443.
• Open port 443 to incoming connections.

Step 7: Examine your SELinux policies, if any:

• The setenforce command can be used to verify the SELinux policies if you are running SELinux on a Windows machine.
• On Windows computers, SELinux is not enabled by default.

Step 8: Examine the error logs from Apache:-

• Usually found at C:\Program Files\Apache24\logs\error.log, open the Apache error logs.
• Check for any port 443 or SSL/TLS-related issues.

Step 9: Launch the Apache service:-

• Launch the command prompt in administrator mode.
• The Apache service can be started by running the following command:

net start apache

Step 10: Check to see if Apache is open on port 443:

• Get a command prompt open.
• To find out if Apache is listening on port 443, issue the following command:

netstat -ano | findstr :443

• If port 443 is open on Apache, a line similar to this one should appear:

TCP 0.0.0.0:443             0.0.0.0:0              A LISTENING 1234

The Apache service's process ID is 1234 in the output.

You should be able to resolve the "Apache not listening on port 443" issue and allow Apache to listen on port 443 for HTTPS connections by following these instructions and debugging any possible problems.