Notwithstanding the security flaws, Windows users continue to use Telnet as a client-server communication. Initial network hardware configuration, remote access, port testing, port forwarding, and other non-sensitive data transmission operations are the main uses of it.
With Windows 10 and Windows 11 PCs, you can enable Telnet using the Command Prompt or a Graphical User Interface (GUI) application. Here, we’ll demonstrate the many methods for enabling Telnet on a Windows machine.
- Use the Control Panel to enable Telnet on Windows
The Vintage Control Panel can be used to enable Telnet Client. You can activate it by using the Windows Optional Feature dialogue since it is an optional feature. On Windows, you can use it to add or delete optional features for other users.
Using the Control Panel, enable Telnet Client:
Open Run by pressing Win + R.
To launch Control Panel, enter control and press OK.
Click on Uninstall a Software in the Programs and Features section of the Control Panel.
Click the Turn Windows feature on or off button in the left pane.
Go to the bottom of the Windows Features dialogue and choose Telnet Client.
Wait for the feature to install then click OK. Restarting your computer will make the modifications take effect and turn on the feature.
If you must turn off Telnet:
Deselect Telnet Client in the Windows Features dialogue by opening it.
Wait for the feature to uninstall after selecting Yes.
To reboot your PC and apply the changes, click Restart now.
- Use Windows Power Shell to enable Telnet Client
To activate Telnet Client in Windows PowerShell, use the Enable-WindowsOptionalFeature cmdlet. It is helpful if you can’t activate the feature using the Windows Features dialogue and is quicker than the GUI approach.
Using Windows PowerShell, enable Telnet:
To access the WinX menu, press Win + X.
To launch the terminal software as administrator, select Windows Terminal(Admin) and then click Agree. If you’re using Windows 10, start Windows Search and type “PowerShell” to launch Windows PowerShell administrator.
To enable Telnet, enter the following command in the PowerShell window and hit Enter.
Wait for the status report to be returned after the completion of this process, which could take several minutes. You’ll see Online:True as the outcome if it was successful.
Use the following command to disable Telnet Client in its place:
-Online -FeatureName TelnetClient Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature
Restart your System and then exit PowerShell.
- From the Command Prompt, install the Telnet client
The DISM /Online command can be used to enable the optional features on your Windows 11 PC if you prefer Command Prompt to PowerShell.
To install Telnet using Command Prompt, adhere to following steps:
CMD is typed by pressing the Win key.
Run as administrator can be chosen by right-clicking the Command Prompt.
Type the following command into the Command Prompt window:
The feature will begin to be enabled via Command Prompt, which will also show a notification stating that the process was accomplished.
You can stop Telnet by entering the following command and pressing Enter:
Disable-Feature /Feature /Online
Name:TelnetClient
Await the notification indicating success.
To close Command Prompt, enter the word exit and hit Enter.
How to Verify Your PC’s Telnet Client Status
With a Command Prompt command, you may determine whether the Telnet client is enabled on your computer. The Telnet command will open a new CMD to connect to distant servers and carry out other operations when it is enabled.
Open Command Prompt as an administrator (see how to run the Command Prompt as an administrator for in-depth steps).
Type “Telnet” and hit the Enter key in the Command Prompt window.
A fresh CMD that uses Microsoft Telnet,
The Complete Guide to Enabling Telnet on a Windows 11 PC
You can utilise Telnet, a built-in remote access tool, to resolve firewall and network problems. System administrators now favour the more secure SSH protocol to access computers over an unsecured network, even though it is still a feature of Windows.
Telnet’s main drawback is that it is not secure and is vulnerable to man-in-the-middle attacks. Change to a more secure network protocol, such as SSH or Mosh, with better password and public key authentication, if not just for certain scenarios.
