How to enable and use Telnet on Windows 10

/ Windows / By / October 5, 2021

Telnet is a remote access protocol that is commonly used on Windows systems but can also be installed on a Mac and a Linux system using Homebrew. This protocol is very old and no longer in use. The protocol is used across the command line. There are better tools that have been developed since Telnet and they have a more intuitive GUI.

telnet

Telnet on Windows 10

Telnet has not disappeared. It still works but not many people use it. There are GUI clients that use Telnet, which makes it infinitely easier to use but nonetheless, you will find that better remote access solutions are available. That said, you can still enable and use Telnet on Windows 10.

Enable Telnet on Windows 10 – Control Panel

To enable Telnet on Windows 10, follow these steps;

  1. Open Control Panel.
  2. go to Programs.
  3. Choose Turn Windows features on or off.
  4. In the window that opens, select Telnet Client.
  5. Click Ok and proceed with the on-screen instructions to install the messenger.

Enable Telnet on Windows 10 – Command Prompt

You can enable Telnet on Windows 10 through Command Prompt.

  1. Open Promptly forward with administrative rights.
  2. Run this command: dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:TelnetClient
  3. When the command completes, the A Telnet client will be installed on your system.

Enable Telnet on Windows 10 – PowerShell

To enable Telnet from PowerShell, follow these steps.

  1. Open PowerShell with administrative rights.
  2. Run this command: Install-WindowsFeature -name Telnet-Client
  3. The Telnet client will be installed.

Confirm Telnet installation

To find out if Telnet is installed on your system, or to verify that the installation was successful, follow these steps.

  1. Open Promptly forward with administrative rights.
  2. Run this command: telnet
  3. You should see a message that says ‘Microsoft Telnet’. If the command is not recognized, Telnet has not been installed.

How to use Telnet on Windows 10

The Telnet client is a command line tool. It will not install as a GUI app and you will use it through Command Prompt. You have to be familiar with orders to connect to a remote system. Open Command Prompt with administrative rights.

Connect to server

telnet hostname port

Conclusion

If you need to access a non-Windows system remotely, telnet may be a reasonably good solution though, you need to know the port and IP address, as well as name- username and password of the system you are connecting to. The system must also be set up to accept and allow a connection from Telnet. It all gets a little tedious which is why there are tools that are much easier to use and cross-platform.

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