Introduction
Telnet serves as a protocol that enables users to remotely access and manage other computer systems over the internet or a local network. It has been around for many decades. Also, it is still employed by some systems administrators and network engineers for troubleshooting & configuring network devices.
Telnet is not enabled by default on Windows OS 10 or 11. However, it can easily be enabled by following a few straightforward steps. Under this tutorial, you will get insights into how to enable and install Telnet Windows 10 or 11. Continue reading and get all the details.
What is Telnet and How Does it Work?
As mentioned in the beginning, Telnet refers to a network protocol that permits users to connect to remote computers and devices over the internet or local network. It is employed for remote administration, troubleshooting, and testing of devices & services.
When you begin a Telnet session, the Telnet client application on your computer system designates a connection to the Telnet to Windows server application on the remote device. This connection is typically established over TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol), which is the standard protocol employed for communication over the Internet.
Once the connection is established, you can communicate with the remote device utilizing a command-line interface provided by the Telnet client application. You can send Telnet commands as well as receive responses from the remote device.
Further, these Telnet commands in Windows can be utilized to perform a variety of tasks like checking the status of services, configuring network settings, or executing commands on the remote device. Also, you must be aware of the fact that Telnet is not a secure protocol & transmits data, including usernames and passwords, in clear text. As a consequence, it is recommended to employ more secure protocols such as SSH (Secure Shell) for remote administration & access.
3 Ways to Enable Telnet on Windows 10 & 11
The below-mentioned are the three different ways with which you can readily enable or install Telnet on Windows. Let’s quickly get a glance at them!
Install Telnet in Windows using Command Prompt
Step 1: Press the Windows key and type “cmd” in the search box.
Step 2: Then, you need to right-click on “Command Prompt” and select “Run as administrator.”
Step 3: In the Command Prompt window, type
"dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:TelnetClient" and press Enter.
Step 4: The Telnet client will now get installed on your Windows system.
Install Telnet on Windows Using Control Panel
Step 1: Press the Windows key and type “Control Panel” in the search box.
Step 2: Then, you have to search and click on “Control Panel” from the search results.
Step 3: Next, you must click on “Programs” in the Control Panel window.
Step 4: Click on “Turn Windows features on or off.”
Step 5: In the “Windows Features” window, scroll down and locate “Telnet Client.”
Step 6: Check the box next to “Telnet Client” and click “OK.”
Step 7: Now, by this step, you can enable Telnet on Windows.
Install Telnet with Windows Using Powershell
Step 1: Press the Windows key and type “powershell” in the search box.
Step 2: Then, you have to right-click on “Windows PowerShell” and select “Run as administrator.”
Step 3: In the PowerShell window, type
"Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName TelnetClient" and press Enter.
Step 4: By this step, you will get to enable windows install telnet.
Execute Telnet Command in Windows
To execute the Telnet install command in Windows, you can follow the below-mentioned easy steps:
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.
Step 2: Type “telnet” followed by the IP address or hostname of the remote device you wish to connect to, and then press Enter. For instance, in case you need to connect to a device with IP address 192.168.1.1, you would type “telnet 192.168.1.1” and press Enter.
Step 3: If the connection is successful, you will witness a message that says “Microsoft Telnet>”.
Step 4: You can now type Telnet commands to communicate with the remote device. For instance, if you wish to check the status of a service, you can type “status” followed by the name of the service.
Step 5: To exit the Telnet command in Windows, type “exit” and press Enter.
Check Telnet Client Status on Windows
For checking the Telnet client status on Windows, you can follow these steps:
Step 1: Open the Command Prompt or PowerShell as an administrator.
Step 2: Type “telnet” and then, press Enter.
Step 3: In case the Telnet client is installed and running, you will witness a message that says “Welcome to Microsoft Telnet Client” along with the version number.
Step 4: In case the Telnet client is not installed or running, you will witness a message that says “‘Telnet is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program, or batch file.”
Step 5: You can also inspect the status of the Telnet client by entering the following command in PowerShell.
"Get-WindowsCapability -Name Telnet.Client*" If the Telnet client is installed as well as enabled, you will see “State : Installed.” If it is not yet installed, you will witness “State : NotPresent.” Moreover, if it is installed but disabled, you will see “State : InstalledPendingReboot.”
Summing Up
Enable Telnet Windows 10 or 11 is a simple and quick procedure. It can be done in just a few steps. While Telnet is not utilized as much as it once was, it can still be an extremely helpful tool for managing network devices as well as troubleshooting connectivity issues.
By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can quickly enable or install Telnet for Windows and start employing it to administer your network infrastructure. However, you must note that Telnet is an unencrypted protocol. So, it can potentially disclose sensitive information to eavesdropping. Thus, you must take suitable security standards when utilizing it over a network.
