telnet
Interactive communication with another host using the TELNET protocol.
Synopsis
telnet [HOST [PORT]]
Examples
telnet host.example.com 80
telnet smtp.example.com 25
telnet localhost 6379
Common options
| Flag | Description |
|---|---|
| -l | Specify login user |
| -a | Attempt automatic login |
About telnet
The `telnet` command interactive communication with another host using the TELNET protocol. Networking commands handle connectivity testing, DNS resolution, data transfer, remote access, firewall rules, and traffic analysis.
Linux is the dominant server operating system, and strong networking skills are essential for web hosting, container orchestration, security auditing, and infrastructure management. The command accepts 2 commonly used flags shown above, though the full set of options is available in the man page (`man telnet`).
The 3 examples on this page cover typical real-world usage patterns that you can copy and adapt for your own workflows.
Related commands
More Network Commands
Other commands in the Network category