Service: AMX-AXBNET (also called Panja-AXBNET)
Port: 1320
Protocols: TCP and UDP
Range: Registered (1024-49151)
Assigned by: IANA
Port 1320 carries AMX-AXBNET, a communication protocol used by AMX building automation and control systems. But there's a story in the name.
What AMX-AXBNET Does
AMX-AXBNET is a network protocol used by AMX control systems—devices that manage lighting, audio/video, climate, and other building automation functions. The protocol allows AMX controllers, keypads, and touch panels to communicate over Ethernet networks.1
AMX systems are commonly found in:
- Corporate conference rooms and boardrooms
- Hotels and hospitality venues
- Educational institutions
- Home automation installations
- Commercial buildings requiring centralized control
Port 1320 handles communication between AMX devices on a network, allowing them to coordinate actions and relay commands.
The Panja Story
Here's where it gets interesting. IANA records sometimes list this port as "Panja-AXBNET" instead of AMX-AXBNET.2 Why?
In 1999, AMX Corp. changed its name to Panja Inc. The company had been around since 1982 under the AMX name, but leadership decided a rebrand was needed as they expanded into residential home automation.3
It didn't work. The rebrand coincided with internal challenges, management changes, and strategic missteps. Two years later, in 2001, Panja changed its name back to AMX. "The name AMX has always been associated with the high level of customer service and support upon which we were founded," the company explained.4
But port registrations are permanent. When AMX registered port 1320 during the Panja era, that name stuck in some IANA records. The port became a time capsule—a permanent reminder of a two-year corporate identity crisis.
Most failed rebrands fade from memory. Port 1320 ensures this one never will.
What This Port Reveals About Registration
Port 1320 sits in the registered ports range (1024-49151). These ports are assigned by IANA to specific services upon request, but the process is less formal than for well-known ports (0-1023).5
The registered range contains thousands of ports assigned to commercial products, proprietary protocols, and services that may or may not still exist. Some are actively used. Others are ghost ports—registered decades ago for products that no longer exist, but the registration remains.
Port 1320 is in an interesting middle ground. The service still exists (AMX is now owned by HARMAN and still manufactures control systems), but the name in the registration is from a company identity that was abandoned 25 years ago.
Security Considerations
Port 1320 has occasionally been flagged in security databases due to past malware that used it for communication.6 This doesn't mean the port itself is dangerous—any port can be used by malicious software if a system is compromised.
If you see port 1320 open on a system:
- On an AMX control system, it's legitimate
- On a random server or workstation, investigate further
Checking for Port 1320
To see if port 1320 is listening on your system:
Linux/Mac:
Windows:
If something is listening on port 1320 and you don't have AMX control equipment, you'll want to investigate what's using it.
The Permanence of Port Assignments
The lesson of port 1320: the Internet has a long memory. When you register a port, you're not just claiming a number for today. You're writing something into the infrastructure that may outlive your product, your company, or even your company's name.
AMX is back to being AMX. But every time someone looks up port 1320, they see "Panja"—a name that existed for two years and has been gone for 25.
Port assignments are forever. Choose your name wisely.
Frequently Asked Questions
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