Telnet: frequently asked questions

Applies to all editions of Windows Vista. 

 

What is Telnet? 

Telnet is a simple, text-based program that allows you to connect to another computer by using the Internet. If you've been granted the right to connect to that computer by that computer's owner or administrator, Telnet will allow you to enter commands used to access programs and services that are on the remote computer, as if you were sitting right in front of it. Telnet can be used for many things, including accessing e‑mail, databases, or files.

 

By default, Telnet is not installed with Windows Vista, but you can install it by following the steps below.

 

To install Telnet Client

 

            1:  Click the Start button , click Control Panel, click Programs, and then click Turn Windows features on or off. 

                  If you are prompted for an administrator password or confirmation, type the password or provide confirmation.  

            2. In the Windows Features dialog box, select the Telnet Client check box.

            3. Click OK. The installation might take several minutes.

 

Before you can use Telnet, you must install Telnet Client on your computer by following the steps in the section above.

After Telnet Client is installed, open it by following the step below.

 

To open A Telnet Session

 

Option 1: Open Telnet by clicking the Start button , typing Telnet in the Search box, and then clicking OK.

                Type the commands you want to run.

                To see which commands are available, type a question mark (?) and then press ENTER.

                Some commands are used by themselves; you just type the command, press ENTER, and you're done.

                Other commands have additional parameters.

                To see the additional parameters, type the command followed by a question mark and then press ENTER.

                For more details about Telnet commands, see   Telnet commands.