Enable Telnet on Windows 10: Easy Network Protocol

In this guide, we want to teach you How To Enable Telnet on Windows 10. Telnet is a network protocol used to virtually access a computer and to provide a two-way, collaborative, and text-based communication channel between two machines.

It follows a user command Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) networking protocol for creating remote sessions. On the web, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) and File Transfer Protocol (FTP) simply enable users to request specific files from remote computers, while, through Telnet, users can log on as regular users with the privileges they are granted to the specific applications and data on that computer.

Telnet (client) is not enabled by default on Windows 10. You can easily follow this guide on enabling Enable Telnet on Windows 10 to get it working.

To complete this guide on enabling Enable Telnet on Windows 10, you must log in to your Windows Client and follow the steps below.

Method 1. Enabling Telnet From PowerShell

The first method to enable your Telnet is to use the PowerShell Admin. Right-click the Start button, and choose Windows PowerShell (Admin).

Then, run the following command from your PowerShell Admin:

Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName TelnetClient -All

With this command, your Telnet is available on both PowerShell and CMD.

Method 2. Enabling Telnet From the Control Panel

Alternatively, you can install Telnet Client by going to Control Panel | Programs and Features | Turn Windows features on and off. From there, you need to check the box next to Telnet (client) and click Ok.

At this point, your telnet client is enabled and available to use.

How to Use Telnet on Windows 10?

At this point, we want to show you the basic usage of Telnet to check open ports.

The General Telnet syntax for testing open ports is:

telnet <address> <port number>

The command accepts both symbolic and numeric addresses. For example:

telnet 127.0.0.1 80

After running the Telnet command on Windows, one of the following three options happen:

1. The command throws an error, indicating the port is not available for connection.
2. The command goes to a blank screen, indicating the port is available.
3. Running the command on an open port 23 displays the screen of the telnet host, confirming an established Telnet connection.

Alternative Solutions for Checking Open Ports

While Telnet can be used to check open ports, it’s generally not recommended due to its lack of security and the availability of better tools. Here are two alternative solutions for checking open ports in Windows 10:

1. Using PowerShell’s Test-NetConnection Cmdlet:

PowerShell provides a built-in cmdlet called Test-NetConnection which offers a more robust and feature-rich way to check network connectivity and test open ports. This cmdlet is part of the NetTCPIP module and is readily available in Windows 10.

• Explanation: Test-NetConnection allows you to specify a target computer (either by name or IP address) and a port number. It then attempts to establish a TCP connection to the specified port. The cmdlet returns detailed information about the connection attempt, including whether the connection succeeded, the latency, and any error messages.

• Code Example:

  Test-NetConnection -ComputerName example.com -Port 80

  This command will test the connection to example.com on port 80. The output will show whether the connection succeeded. A TcpTestSucceeded value of True indicates a successful connection and an open port. A False value indicates a failure, meaning the port is likely closed or a firewall is blocking the connection.

  You can also use an IP address instead of a hostname:

  Test-NetConnection -ComputerName 192.168.1.100 -Port 443

  Furthermore, you can retrieve only the TcpTestSucceeded property for a cleaner output:

  (Test-NetConnection -ComputerName example.com -Port 80).TcpTestSucceeded

2. Using Nmap (Network Mapper):

Nmap is a powerful and versatile open-source network scanning tool. While it requires a separate installation, it provides a comprehensive suite of features for network discovery, security auditing, and port scanning. It’s a far more advanced tool than Telnet for this purpose.

• Explanation: Nmap can perform various types of port scans, including TCP connect scans, SYN scans, UDP scans, and more. It can also detect the operating system and services running on the target host. Nmap is not included with Windows by default; you will need to download and install it from the official Nmap website (https://nmap.org/).

• Code Example:

  First, download and install Nmap. Then, open a command prompt or PowerShell window and use the following command:

  nmap -p 80 example.com

  This command will scan port 80 on example.com. The output will show the state of the port (open, closed, filtered). A state of "open" indicates that the port is listening for connections.

  To scan a range of ports, you can use the following syntax:

  nmap -p 20-25 example.com

  This will scan ports 20 through 25 on example.com.

  For a faster, but less reliable scan, you can use the SYN scan (-sS):

  nmap -sS -p 80 example.com

  Nmap is significantly more powerful and flexible than Telnet, offering various scanning options and detailed output. It is the preferred tool for professional network analysis and security auditing.

Conclusion

At this point, you have learned to Enable Telnet on Windows 10 and see how to check open ports. Enable Telnet on Windows 10 is a command-line tool used for remote access to servers and network devices over a text-based interface. It allows users to execute commands on a remote system but lacks encryption, making it less secure than modern alternatives. As demonstrated with PowerShell and Nmap, there are significantly more secure and powerful alternatives to Telnet for network diagnostics.

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