A Beginner's Guide to the Internet/INTERNET.ISO/text/telnet/h2use/telnet.txt

Text File | 1996-05-06 | 3.6 KB | 70 lines

Telnet

Telnet is a software program that lets you travel to computers
all over the world and log on to them, as if you were logging on
to your own computer.  Once you are in that computer, you can do
whatever it is that computer is set up to allow you to do.  That
may be playing games, or using databases or programs that are
located on the computer.  In effect your computer becomes a
Telnet client to access data in programs on a Telnet server
located somewhere on the net.

Another name for Telnetting is remote login or rlogin.

There are two basic types of Telnet access, private and public.
For example, Researchers often have private Telnet accounts on
another computer, that permits them to use the database resources
of that computer in connection with their research.  Members of
Multiverse can Telnet to Multiverse from other computers on the
net and login to Multiverse so long as they have a user name and
password.  This is another example of a private Telnet account.

Many computers also allow just about anyone onto their system.
This is a public Telnet computer, and when you arrive the remote
site will typically provide instructions on conducting a public
login if that feature is supported.

Multiverse Telnet

On Multiverse, you access Telnet by first clicking the button on
the Multiverse Main menu for "Direct Internet Access."  On
reaching the Multiverse "Direct Internet Access" menu, click on
the "Telnet" button.  A series of lines will appear on the screen
containing what mostly appears to be gibberish, unless you're a
power UNIX user, in which case what appears on the screen is
crystal clear.  In fact, several of these lines are not
gibberish, but are instructions on how to use the Telnet program.

To use Telnet, you need to type the host name of the computer you
wish to access and follow it with a port number, if the address
for the Telnet site includes one.  While not all systems include
this second port option, many do.  Normally, port 23 is the
default Telnet port and you don't have to think about typing it.
Sometimes, however, it is desirable to Telnet to a different port
on a system where there may be a particular service available.
In general, if you are unsure, simply telnet type in the name of
the remote machine, and let the remote machine determine which
port you log into.  In any event, this will take you to the
Telnet site.  You next must know how to login to that particular
site.

A particularly useful Telnet program on the Internet is called
Hytelnet.  It provides a front end to accessing many of the
Internet's Telnet offerings.  This program is extremely useful to
librarians who often wish to search a library located half-way
around the world, which has an electronic index card catalog on
the net.  In order to reach Hytelnet, you should type at the
Telnet command the following:  "access.usask.ca".  This is the
host name of the computer running Hytelnet.  At the login prompt,
type "Hytelnet".  From there you are in the host computer and you
should follow the instructions it gives for navigating around in
it.

Most Telnet sites, such as those found on Multiverse's popular
Internet destinations (look for the "T" at the beginning of the
description of the site) will require a specific login which will
either be found in the text file where you obtained the Telnet
address or in the instructions on the screen when you Telnet to
the site.  If you have any questions relating to Telnet, leave
the sysop a message and we will try to respond.  First, however,
read the Telnet FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions).