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Enable telnet server in Windows

On Windows OS, with the default settings/installation, telnet service won’t be operational. We need to change certain things to enable/install the feature. The steps are different for XP and Windows 7.

How to install telnet server and client in Windows 7:

In Windows 7, both telnet client and telnet server features are not installed by default. We can add these features by doing the following.

  • Launch ‘Windows Features‘ window by running optionalfeatures command from Run.
  • Scroll down and select Telnet client and Telnet server features. If you just want to connect to other  telnet servers from this computer, then select telnet client only.  If you want to run telnet server/service on the computer, then select server feature also.
  • Click OK and  the selected features will be installed.

Now you can verify that telnet command works.  Though telnet service is installed, it won’t be started automatically. You can start the service from Services management console(Services.msc).  You can also start telnet service from command line.

How to uninstall telnet server and client

You can follow the same steps as mentioned above. For uninstalling, you need to uncheck the features in the ‘Windows Features‘ window. A reboot is required  for the changes to come into effect.

Windows XP/Server 2003:

Start telnet service

XP and 2K3 have telnet service but the service is disabled by default.  You need to enable and start the service. Open Services management console by running services.msc fron Run and start telnet service. If the service is not running, one would get the following error when making a telnet connection.

C:\>telnet my2k3-pc
Connecting To my2k3-pc…Could not open connection to the host, on port 23: Connect failed

 Add the service to the exceptions list in the Firewall

If firewall is enabled on your computer, all the incoming connections to the telnet port will be blocked by the firewall.  You can resolve this by adding telnet service to the firewall exceptions list.  This can be done by doing the following steps.

  • Open Firewall by running firewall.cpl
  • Click on Advanced tab
  • In this window you can see all the network connections available on your computer. Select the network connection on which you want to allow telnet connections.

 

  • Then click on Settings.
  • In the new window select the check button for telnet server. Click on OK and close all the windows.
2 comments… add one
  • khalid khan

    how to uninstall telnet client and server from windows server 2003 .

    i followed the below steps

    control panel -add or remove programs – add or remove windows components

    but i cannot see telnet here .

  • Aaron Parsons

    Dont forget…also…to provide access to users

    1 go to computer management mmc
    2 local users and groups
    3 groups
    4 TelnetClients
    5 Add users you want to have access (including you)

    otherwize the server will deny access.
    When you connect using cmd telnet, the credentials of the currently logged in user are used (locally logged in username & password of remote client)

    works from windows xp clients and up.

    not compatible with HyperTerminal or other Anonymous Clients

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