How do you specify a port range for Java sockets?

Question

In Java you can give the number zero as a single parameter for the Socket or DatagramSocket constructor. Java binds that Socket to a free port then. Is it possible to limit

Answer 1

Here's the code you need:

public static Socket getListeningSocket() {
    for ( int port = MIN_PORT ; port <= MAX_PORT ; port++ )
    {
        try {
            ServerSocket s = new ServerSocket( port );
            return s;      // no exception means port was available
        } catch (IOException e) {
            // try the next port
        }
    }
    return null;   // port not found, perhaps throw exception?
}