Telnet is a command-line protocol that is used to connect remote systems over the network and manage them with commands. Telnet protocol works as Client and Server architecture where the client connects to the remote Telnet server. Telnet is supported by different operating systems and platforms like Windows, Linux, Ubuntu, Android, MacOSX, etc. Windows operating systems and Windows 10 provide a built-in telnet client but it is not enabled or installed by default. By using the Programs and Features the built-in Windows 10 telnet client can be enabled.
Check If Telnet Client Is Installed or “telnet is not recognized as an internal or external command.” Error
Before installing the telnet command we can check if the telnet command is installed or enabled by executing it from the command line. Just type telnet to the command line interface and if it is installed you will enter the telnet interactive shell. If not installed you will see the following error.
C:\>telnet google.com 80
'telnet' is not recognized as an internal or external command, operable program or batch file.Enable Telnet Client From “Programs and Features”
The telnet client can be enabled from the Programs and Features GUI tool which is used to enable different Windows tools and services. Also, the Telnet server is enabled from the “Programs and Features” too. To most practical way to open “Programs and Features” is using the “Start Menu” and typing like below.
Or you can open it from the Control Panel from Control Panel -> All Control Panel Items -> Programs and Features.
Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Programs and FeaturesTelnet client is provided as Windows Features an can be enabled from theTurn Windows features on or off menu like.
You will see the following screen which lists different windows features. In order to turn on just check the checkbox which will start the enabling process or installation process. You will check the Telnet Client line checkbox which is not checked by default and this means it is not enabled.
The last step is clicking on the OK button which will install checked features. The installation process will look like below. It will search for the installation files automatically and install the Telnet Client feature.
When the installation is complete the telnet client checkbox will be checked like below which means the telnet client is installed and activated.
Enable Telnet Client from PowerShell Command Line Interface
Powershell provides the Install-WindowsFeature commandlet in order to enable or install windows features where Telnet Client is one of them.
PS> Install-WindowsFeature -name "Telnet-Client"Enable Telnet Client from MS-DOS /Command Prompt Command Line Interface
Windows provides the pkgmgr which is the command for the package manager. This pkgmgr command can be used to install the Windows telnet client from the command line or MS-DOS. In order to install the telnet client, the /ui: parameter will be provided with the telnet client package name. The package name of the telnet client for pkgmgr command is TelnetClient without any spaces. You can install the TelnetClient package with the pkgmgr command from command line like below. First, open the command line from the Start menu by typing “command prompt” like below.
> pkgmgr /ui:"TelnetClient"You can also run this command from the Run dialog box without opening the MS-DOS command line.
Enable Telnet Client with dism Command from MS-DOS/Command Prompt Command Line Interface
dism is a popular command which can be used to manage system related backups, libraries, applications, services, etc. The dism command can be used to install the telnet client in Windows. The /online and /Enable-Feature parameters should be provided to the dism command with the /FeatureName: parameter like below.
> dism /online /Enable-Feature /FeatureName:TelnetClientDisable Telnet Client
Telnet clients can be also disabled using the Windows Features or command line. For Windows features just uncheck the checkbox for the Windows Client and then click to the OK .
Run Telnet Client
Telnet client is used to connect remote telnet server but as a useful tool telnet can connect other ports like web servers or HTTP ports. In the following example we will check the windowstect.com port number 443 with the telnet command.
> telnet windowstect.com 443Connect Remote Telnet Server
You can also connect remote telnet server by just providin the remote telnet server IP address and domain name like below. In the following example we will connect to the remote server named windowstect.com.
> telnet windowstect.com
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