How to Use the Telnet Client in Windows

Tim Fisher has more than 30 years' of professional technology experience. He's been writing about tech for more than two decades and serves as the SVP and General Manager of Lifewire.

• Western Governors University

Ryan Perian is a certified IT specialist who holds numerous IT certifications and has 12+ years' experience working in the IT industry support and management positions.

What to Know

• Search Control Panel for features and then click Turn Windows features on or off.
• Next, check the box next to Telnet Client, then select OK.
• Open Command Prompt and type telnet followed by the hostname. For example, telnet telehack.com.

This article describes how to enable Telnet for Windows and how to run Telnet commands.

How to Enable the Windows Telnet Client

Telnet isn't a secure way to communicate with another device, but there are reasons to use it. You can't, however, just open Command Prompt and expect to start executing commands. First, you need to enable Telnet Client through Control Panel.

These directions apply to Windows 11, Windows 10, Windows 8, Windows 7, and Windows Vista. Telnet Client is already installed and ready to use out of the box in Windows XP and Windows 98.

1. Open Control Panel by searching for it in the Start menu. Or, open the Run dialog box via WIN+R and then enter control.

Select Programs. If you don't see that because you're viewing the Control Panel applet icons, choose Programs and Features instead, and then skip to Step 4.

Select Programs and Features.

Select Turn Windows features on or off from the left pane.

Select the check box next to Telnet Client.

Execute Telnet Commands in Windows

Telnet commands are easy to execute. After opening Command Prompt, enter the word telnet. The result is a line that says Microsoft Telnet>, which is where commands are entered.

Another way to run a Telnet command is to type telnet followed by any command, such as the ones shown in the examples below. To connect to a Telnet server, enter a command that follows this syntax:

telnet hostname port 

For example, entering telnet textmmode.com 23 connects to textmmode.com on port 23 using Telnet.

The last portion of the command is used for the port number but is only necessary to specify if it's not the default port of 23. For example, telnet textmmode.com 23 is the same as running the command telnet textmmode.com, but not the same as telnet textmmode.com 95, which connects to the same server but on port 95.

Microsoft keeps a list of Telnet commands if you'd like to learn more about how to do things like open and close a Telnet connection, display the Telnet Client settings, and more.

How Does Telnet Work?

Telnet is a network protocol that provides a command-line interpreter to communicate with a device. It's used most often for remote management, but also sometimes for the initial setup for some devices, especially network hardware such as switches and access points.

Telnet originally was used on terminals. These computers require only a keyboard because everything on the screen displays as text. The terminal provides a way to remotely log on to another device, just as if you were sitting in front of it and using it like any other computer.

Nowadays, Telnet can be used from a virtual terminal, or a terminal emulator, which is essentially a modern computer that communicates with the same Telnet protocol. One example of this is the Telnet command, available from the Command Prompt in Windows, which uses the Telnet protocol to communicate with a remote device or system.

Telnet commands can also be executed on other operating systems, such as Linux and macOS, in the same way they're executed in Windows.

Telnet isn't the same as other TCP/IP protocols like HTTP, which transfers files to and from a server. Instead, the Telnet protocol has you log on to a server as if you were an actual user, then grants you direct control and all the same rights to files and applications as the user that you're logged in as.

Although not the same as Telnet, free remote access software tools are an alternative way to communicate with another computer remotely.

Telnet Games & Additional Information

There are several Command Prompt tricks you can perform using Telnet. Some of them are in text form, but you may have fun with them.

telnet freechess.org 5000 

Use Telnet to talk to an artificially intelligent psychotherapist named Eliza. After connecting to Telehack with the command below, enter eliza when asked to choose one of the listed commands.

telnet telehack.com 

Watch an ASCII version of the full Star Wars Episode IV movie by entering this in Command Prompt:

telnet towel.blinkenlights.nl 

Beyond the fun things that can be done in Telnet are a number of Bulletin Board Systems (BBS). A BBS provides a way to message other users, view news, share files, and more. The Telnet BBS Guide lists hundreds of servers you can connect to using this protocol.

SSH is a network protocol used for remote access and uses encryption. Telnet is another network protocol used for remote access but does not use any encryption. It will display data (including usernames and passwords) in clear text.

Make sure Telnet is turned on, then ping your network. In Telnet, enter telnet IP address (ex. telnet 192.168.1.10). Next, enter your username and password to log in.