telnet question 1

[sman26]

Just trying to find an answer on how telnet is used. I know you run it from the command line telnet <ip address> <blank for port 23> or <other port number>. When I run it from my XP machine to another PC's open port, it takes me to a black screen with my cursor. I know that means I am on that PC now but what does a person do from here? I can't seem to type anything. Is it not really used to just go to open ports on a PC or is its main purpose to get into Networking appliances, etc where you know what language to use to configure the device like a Cisco device with IOS?
Thanks for clearing this up and offering any other tips that may help me understand.
sman

 

[North323]

yes you are correct in your logic. windows does not have a cli (command line) way of operating the OS.

 

[sman26]

Now adays instead of telnet a lot of the appliances use web based gui interfaces so it is not used as much? Can someone give me examples of how they use it or used to use it? I guess you could also use it to see what ports are open on a machine? If you run telnet and get the black screen you know the port is open?
thanks again.

 

[North323]

yes most are using gui but i prefer cli. i use it for cisco and linux devices (ssh). telnet is also used to verify a port is open (you are correct)

 

[sman26]

Thanks North323,

Instead of telnet, if you want to use the cli on your devices by using SSH, is Putty an example of a tool that allows you to get to your devices and configure them? So i'm guessing in your putty configuation you put in the IP of your device and the port you want to go in thru to manage it. On the device side there is a username and pass that are required to get in. So when you putty in from your local pc it uses SSH to form a secure connection and then once you get to the device you are required to put in a username and password and then it's as if you were sitting at the device itself and it's secure? Just wanting to clear things up. Really appreciate it.
sman

 

[North323]

yes you are correct

 

[burtsbees]

NMAP is a decent port scanner, and then some. This is what you would use. Telnet is generally used not as remote access (BAD idea, unless you're the only one in your NW...lol), but to test all 7 layers of the OSI model.

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