Telnet

[tk274]

I must say first that I'm very newbie to all this so please be patient :)
All right, yesterday I was just starting to understand how telnet works. I though it could be a great tool to transfer files between my pc and my girlfriend pc.
Now, just to begin (maybe sounds mad ) I've tryed to connect to myself by using my ip.
After the prompt : telnet (ip address)
I've got a "connection refused"
mmm
just the result of my ignorance I think.
then I've made a nmap on my ip to look for open tcp ports (since I tink it is possible to connect to a host knowing what port is open)
then I've made : telnet (my ip) (port)
and I've got: connected to xxx.xxxx...etc.
escape charachter is '^]'
ok seems I've made it...but
there is no command line below, I expected something like: username, password or just telnet>
nothing!
if I try to prompt anything
after 2 o 3 lines without receiving any answer I got:
"connection closed by foreign host"

now I must admit my total ignorance in all this, somebody have a suggestion to my problem?
Shure I'm missing some knowledge, I'm trying to read stuff about, but seems that my telnet have some strange problem or feature I do not know..
I use MDK8.2
any help is appreciated

[z0mbix]

Telnet is probably not enabled by default as it's somewhat superceeded by ssh as it's encrytped and secure whereas telnet sends data in clear text format. You may need to edit /etc/services and uncomment out the telnet line. You won't be able to transfer files via telnet, it's a remote administration tool/protocol not a file transfer protocol. If you are trying to telnet into you windows box, is the telnet server/service started?

[tk274]

you mean that to complete a connection, on the orther side (for example my girlfriend) must have telnet switched on?

[z0mbix]

Originally posted by tk274
you mean that to complete a connection, on the orther side (for example my girlfriend) must have telnet switched on?

yes, what version of windows does she have?

[michaelk]

Just to make things clear as mud:
Telnet daemon has to be running on the server side which I assume will be your linux box.

The client side which is your girlfriends windows PC can be the standard windows telnet program.

However like the other posts say telnet for remote access not file transfer. ftp or file transfer protocol is used to exchange files between computers. And that works the same way a server i.e. a daemon runs on the linux box and you need a client program to run on the windows box.

You can use the Mandrake's desktop gui to start the ftp service if it was installed.