How do I use Telnet on Windows?

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Telnet allows you to connect to another computer. Thus, your computer starts behaving like a terminal of the remote machine. In this tip, we look at how a successful Telnet session can be executed under Windows. Details on Telnet can be found here.

Telnet connections are established only when your computer is connected to the Internet. So, first start your ISP internet service.

Update: Telnet has always been insure and has been replaced with Secure Shell (SSH) protocol.

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Step 1
Click Start – Run. Type “telnet” in the pop-up window.

Step 2
The Telnet window opens up. Click on Connect – Remote System…

Starting a telnet session in windows

Step 3
You will find three fields in the Connect window. The first lets you specify the Host Name, the second one Port and the third, the Terminal Type.
You can use either the domain name or the IP address in the host name field. So, if I want to connect to my font site, I type www.fontmagic.com.
Select Telnet as the port and vt100 as the terminal type.
Click on the Connect button to start the telnet session.

Connecting to remote host

Step 4
The program now tries to find the host and establish a link.
Once a connection has been successfully set up, a welcome message and a login prompt will be displayed in the window.

Successful telnet connection

Step 5
Type in the login name and hit the enter key. You would then be asked for the password. Note: What you type at the password prompt is not displayed on the screen.
Hit the enter key once again to send the password information to the remote machine.

Login and password prompts

You shall be prompted again if the login name and password are incorrect. However, if everything goes right, a prompt is displayed. Since Fontmagic is hosted on a Linux server, I get a Linux shell prompt.

Logged at the server

The Telnet window now acts as a terminal of the remote machine and you can manipulate files, execute commands or run programs on the remote computer.

To close the telnet session, type “logout” at the prompt.

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