How to Use Telnet on Mac OS X

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Telnet is a useful application that's been around for decades. You can use it to connect to remote servers for various purposes, such as remotely administering a machine through a Telnet server or manually return a result from a Web server.

Steps

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    • This is similar to the command prompt found on Windows. Because OS X is based on UNIX, not MS-DOS, the commands are a bit different.
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Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Connect via SSH

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    To ensure a secure connection, use SSH (Secure Shell)
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    In the field at the bottom of the New Connection window shown below type in the address of the server you wish to connect to.
    • Note that you must have an account to log in.
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    Your keystrokes will not be displayed, for security purposes.
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    Click the + sign under the Server column.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Unsecure Connection

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    This opens a new Terminal session.
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    Next to the blinking cursor, enter the appropriate login information as shown: telnet server.myplace.net 23
    • Note that the port number may vary. Check with your server admin if the connection fails.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    How do I determine the name or IP address to put in the box?
    Community Answer
    If you are trying to telnet to a personal computer that you have physical access to, the IP address can be found by going to a website like WhatIsMyIP and finding the computer's public IP address. If you are trying to access some kind of service, your provider will provide you with a domain or IP address with port that you should type into the box.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 7
  • Question
    My terminal says it's not responding. I keep on force-quitting it, but nothing's working. What do I do?
    Community Answer
    Make sure you typed the command correctly. To break out of (most) unresponsive commands, try pressing Ctrl+C.
    Thanks! We're glad this was helpful.
    Thank you for your feedback.
    If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow
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      Warnings

      • Non-secure connections can easily be intercepted. Use with great caution.
        Thanks
      • Incoming connections and authentication failures are usually logged by most servers, so avoid using Telnet maliciously.
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      References

      1. University of Virginia

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