Windows telnet equivalent in Linux
Connects to a TCP host and port for simple protocol testing and troubleshooting.
telnet
nc host port
nc host port
nc host port
Overview
What this command does
On Windows, "telnet" is used to open a basic TCP connection. On Linux, the closest practical mapping shown here is "nc host port". Connects to a TCP host and port for simple protocol testing and troubleshooting. This reference is grouped under Networking.
Windows → Linux context
What changes when you use this on Linux?
Equivalent task, different tool
Windows telnet maps to nc host port for this task. Treat this as a workflow mapping rather than a character-for-character syntax translation.
Portable across the compared distros
The Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch rows use the same command in this mapping. Package availability or defaults can still vary, so check the installed tool version when an option behaves differently.
Command-specific caution
Netcat traffic is normally unencrypted. Do not send passwords or sensitive data through a plain nc session.
For the broader concept behind this mapping, read Linux networking for Windows users.
Practical tasks
Common use cases
Open a basic TCP connection
Connects to a TCP host and port for simple protocol testing and troubleshooting.
nc example.com 80
Connect to an HTTP port
nc -vz 192.168.1.10 22
Test whether SSH is open
nc -l 9000
Listen on TCP port 9000
Ready to run
Copyable Linux commands
Review paths, device names, package names and permissions before running any command.
nc example.com 80
nc -vz 192.168.1.10 22
nc -l 9000
Walkthrough
Examples with explanations
nc example.com 80 # open an interactive TCP connection
nc -vz 192.168.1.10 22 # scan one TCP port
nc -l 9000 # listen for a connectionReference
Common options and variations
| Command or option | Use |
|---|---|
nc example.com 80 | Connect to an HTTP port |
nc -vz 192.168.1.10 22 | Test whether SSH is open |
nc -l 9000 | Listen on TCP port 9000 |
Distro differences
Debian/Ubuntu vs Fedora vs Arch
Debian/Ubuntu, Fedora and Arch all use "nc host port" for this mapping. The command syntax shown here is portable across the three rows, although installed versions and system defaults can still vary.
| Distribution | Package manager / base | Equivalent command | Difference to notice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Debian/Ubuntu | same command | nc host port |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Fedora | same command | nc host port |
Same command on this distribution. |
| Arch | same command | nc host port |
Same command on this distribution. |
Important
What to watch out for
Keep learning