Development Resources

The telnet protocol has a long history, reaching as far back as 1971. People continue to write telnet related code and implement the protocol in new programming languages. Below you'll find some telnet development resources.


Telnet source code:

Inetutils - GNU network utilities - C source code for telnet client and server (plus ftp, rlogin, and more)
http://www.gnu.org/software/inetutils/inetutils.html

Console Telnet for win32 - source forge project:
http://sourceforge.net/project/showfiles.php?group_id=4675&release_id=13905

Surf around here for source for NCSA Telnet on Mac and PC:
http://www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/SDG/Homepage/telnet.html

A python Telnet server (and more):
http://x84.readthedocs.org/en/latest/intro.html

A python telnet protocol implementation using the "tulip" module of PEP 3156:
https://github.com/jquast/telnetlib3

Many others can be found by searching github:
search telnet at github.com

 

Telnet RFC's:

Below is the current list of Telnet related RFC's. This information was harvested from rfc-editor.org. You may look up these and other RFC's at http://www.rfc-editor.org/

This list is sorted by date descending.

 

# Title Author or Ed. Date Format More Info (Obs & Upd) Status
RFC6270The 'tn3270' URI SchemeM. YevstifeyevJune 2011ASCIIUpdates RFC2355, RFC1738, RFC1041Proposed Standard
RFC5929Channel Bindings for TLSJ. Altman, N. Williams, L. ZhuJuly 2010ASCII    Proposed Standard
RFC4777IBM's iSeries Telnet EnhancementsT. Murphy Jr., P. Rieth, J. StevensNovember 2006ASCIIObsoletes RFC2877Informational
RFC4248The telnet URI SchemeP. HoffmanOctober 2005ASCIIObsoletes RFC1738Proposed Standard
RFC2953 Telnet Encryption: DES 64 bit Output Feedback---T. Ts'o.9/1/2000ASCII --- INFORMATIONAL
RFC2952 Telnet Encryption: DES 64 bit Cipher Feedback---T. Ts'o.9/1/2000ASCII --- INFORMATIONAL
RFC2951 TELNET Authentication Using KEA and SKIPJACK---R. Housley, T. Horting, P. Yee9/1/2000ASCII --- INFORMATIONAL
RFC2941 Telnet Authentication Option---T. Ts'o, Ed., J. Altman9/1/2000ASCII Obsoletes RFC1416 PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC2942 Telnet Authentication: Kerberos Version 5---T. Ts'o.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2943 TELNET Authentication Using DSA---R. Housley, T. Horting, P. Yee.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2944 Telnet Authentication: SRP---T. Wu.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2946 Telnet Data Encryption Option---T. Ts'o.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2947 Telnet Encryption: DES3 64 bit Cipher Feedback---J. Altman.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2948 Telnet Encryption: DES3 64 bit Output Feedback---J. Altman.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2949 Telnet Encryption: CAST-128 64 bit Output Feedback---J. Altman.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2950 Telnet Encryption: CAST-128 64 bit Cipher Feedback---J. Altman.9/1/2000ASCII --- PROPOSED
RFC2877 5250 Telnet Enhancements---T. Murphy, Jr., P. Rieth, J. Stevens7/1/2000ASCII Updates RFC1205 INFORMATIONAL
RFC2840 TELNET KERMIT OPTION---J. Altman, F. da Cruz.5/1/2000ASCII --- INFORMATIONAL
RFC2217 Telnet Com Port Control Option--- G. Clark10/1/97 ASCII --- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC2066 TELNET CHARSET Option--- R. Gellens1/1/97 ASCII --- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC1571 Telnet Environment Option Interoperability Issues--- D. Borman1/1/94 ASCII Updates RFC1408--- INFORMATIONAL
RFC1572 Telnet Environment Option--- S. Alexander1/1/94 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1416 Telnet Authentication Option--- D. Borman, Editor2/1/93 ASCII Obsoletes RFC1409--- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC1408 Telnet Environment Option--- D. Borman, Editor1/1/93 ASCII Updated by RFC1571--- HISTORIC
RFC1409 Telnet Authentication Option--- D. Borman, Editor1/1/93 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC1416--- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC1411 Telnet Authentication--- D. Borman, Editor1/1/93 ASCII --- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC1412 Telnet Authentication--- K. Alagappan1/1/93 ASCII --- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC1372 Telnet Remote Flow Control Option--- C. Hedrick, D. Borman10/1/92 ASCII Obsoletes RFC1080--- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1205 5250 Telnet interface--- P. Chmielewski2/1/91 ASCII --- INFORMATIONAL
RFC1184 Telnet Linemode Option--- D.A. Borman10/1/90 ASCII Obsoletes RFC1116--- DRAFT STANDARD
RFC1143 The Q Method of Implementing TELNET Option Negotiation--- D.J. Bernstein2/1/90 ASCII --- EXPERIMENTAL
RFC1116 Telnet Linemode option--- D.A. Borman8/1/89 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC1184--- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1097 Telnet subliminal-message option--- B. Miller4/1/89 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC1096 Telnet X display location option--- G.A. Marcy3/1/89 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1091 Telnet terminal-type option--- J. VanBokkelen2/1/89 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0930--- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1079Telnet terminal speed option--- C.L. Hedrick12/1/88 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1080Telnet remote flow control option--- C.L. Hedrick11/1/88 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC1372--- UNKNOWN
RFC1073Telnet window size option--- D. Waitzman10/1/88 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1053Telnet X.3 PAD option--- S. Levy, T. Jacobson4/1/88 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1043Telnet Data Entry Terminal option--- A. Yasuda, T. Thompson2/1/88ASCIIUpdates RFC0732--- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC1041Telnet 3270 regime option---Y. Rekhter1/1/88ASCII--- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0946 Telnet terminal location number option--- R. Nedved5/1/85 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0930 Telnet terminal type option--- M. Solomon, E. Wimmers1/1/85 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0884, Obsoleted by RFC1091--- UNKNOWN
RFC0933 Output marking Telnet option--- S. Silverman1/1/85 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0927 TACACS user identification Telnet option--- B.A. Anderson12/1/84 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0884 Telnet terminal type option--- M. Solomon, E. Wimmers12/1/83 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC0930--- UNKNOWN
RFC0885 Telnet end of record option--- J. Postel12/1/83 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0854 Telnet Protocol Specification--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0764, NIC 18639--- STANDARD
RFC0855 Telnet Option Specifications--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes NIC 18640--- STANDARD
RFC0856 Telnet Binary Transmission--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes NIC 15389--- STANDARD
RFC0857 Telnet Echo Option--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes NIC 15390--- STANDARD
RFC0858 Telnet Suppress Go Ahead Option--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes NIC 15392--- STANDARD
RFC0859 Telnet Status Option--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0651--- STANDARD
RFC0860 Telnet Timing Mark Option--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes NIC 16238--- STANDARD
RFC0861 Telnet Extended Options--- J. Postel, J.K. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII Obsoletes NIC 16239--- STANDARD
STD0027 Binary Transmission Telnet Option--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
STD0028 Echo Telnet Option--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
STD0029 Suppress Go Ahead Telnet Option--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
STD0030 Status Telnet Option--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
STD0031 Timing Mark Telnet Option--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
STD0032 Extended Options List Telnet Option--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
STD0008 Telnet Protocol--- J. Postel, J. Reynolds5/1/83 ASCII --- STD
RFC0818 Remote User Telnet service--- J. Postel11/1/82 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0779 Telnet send-location option--- E. Killian4/1/81 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0764 Telnet Protocol specification--- J. Postel6/1/80 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC0854--- UNKNOWN
RFC0749 Telnet SUPDUP-Output option--- B. Greenberg9/18/78 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0748 Telnet randomly-lose option--- M.R. Crispin4/1/78 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0735 Revised Telnet byte macro option--- D. Crocker, R.H. Gumpertz11/3/77 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0729--- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0736 Telnet SUPDUP option--- M.R. Crispin10/31/77 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0732 Telnet Data Entry Terminal option--- J.D. Day9/12/77 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0731, Updated by RFC1043--- UNKNOWN
RFC0731 Telnet Data Entry Terminal option--- J.D. Day6/27/77 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC0732--- UNKNOWN
RFC0729 Telnet byte macro option--- D. Crocker5/13/77 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC0735--- UNKNOWN
RFC0727 Telnet logout option--- M.R. Crispin4/27/77 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0728 Minor pitfall in the Telnet Protocol--- J.D. Day4/27/77 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0726 Remote Controlled Transmission and Echoing Telnet option--- J. Postel, D. Crocker3/8/77 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0698 Telnet extended ASCII option--- T. Mock7/23/75 ASCII --- PROPOSED STANDARD
RFC0703July, 1975, survey of New-Protocol Telnet Servers--- D.W. Dodds7/11/75 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0688Tentative schedule for the new Telnet implementation for the TIP--- D.C. Walden6/4/75 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0679February, 1975, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- D.W. Dodds2/21/75 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN
RFC0669November, 1974, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- D.W. Dodds12/4/74 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0651 Revised Telnet status option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII Obsoleted by RFC0859--- UNKNOWN
RFC0652 Telnet output carriage-return disposition option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0653 Telnet output horizontal tabstops option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0654 Telnet output horizontal tab disposition option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0655 Telnet output formfeed disposition option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0656 Telnet output vertical tabstops option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0657 Telnet output vertical tab disposition option--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0658 Telnet output linefeed disposition--- D. Crocker10/25/74 ASCII --- HISTORIC
RFC0659Announcing additional Telnet options--- J. Postel10/18/74 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0702September, 1974, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- D.W. Dodds9/25/74 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0701 August, 1974, survey of New-Protocol Telnet servers--- D.W. Dodds8/1/74 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0595Second thoughts in defense of the Telnet Go-Ahead--- W. Hathaway12/12/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0596Second thoughts on Telnet Go-Ahead--- E.A. Taft12/8/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0593Telnet and FTP implementation schedule change--- A.M. McKenzie, J. Postel11/29/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0587Announcing new Telnet options--- J. Postel11/13/73 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN
RFC0562Modifications to the Telnet specification--- A.M. McKenzie8/28/73 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN
RFC0563Comments on the RCTE Telnet option--- J. Davidson8/28/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0560Remote Controlled Transmission and Echoing Telnet option--- D. Crocker, J. Postel8/18/73 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN
RFC0559 Comments on The New Telnet Protocol and its Implementation--- A.K. Bhushan8/15/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0513Comments on the new Telnet specifications--- W. Hathaway5/30/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0495Telnet Protocol specifications--- A.M. McKenzie5/1/73 ASCII Obsoletes RFC0158--- UNKNOWN
RFC0466Telnet logger/server for host LL-67--- J.M. Winett2/27/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0461Telnet Protocol meeting announcement--- A.M. McKenzie2/14/73 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0435Telnet issues--- B. Cosell, D.C. Walden1/5/73 ASCII Updates RFC0318--- UNKNOWN
RFC0393 Comments on Telnet Protocol Changes--- J.M. Winett10/3/72 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0340 Proposed Telnet Changes--- T.C. O'Sullivan5/15/72 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0328 Suggested Telnet Protocol Changes--- J. Postel4/29/72 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0318Telnet Protocols--- J. Postel4/3/72 ASCII Updates RFC0158, Updated by RFC0435--- UNKNOWN
RFC0216Telnet access to UCSB's On-Line System--- J.E. White9/8/71 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN
RFC0215 NCP, ICP, and Telnet--- A.M. McKenzie8/30/71 ASCII --- UNKNOWN
RFC0206User Telnet - description of an initial implementation--- J.E. White8/9/71 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN
RFC0158Telnet Protocol--- T.C. O'Sullivan5/19/71 (Not online) Obsoleted by RFC0495, Updates RFC0139, Updated by RFC0318--- UNKNOWN
RFC0139Discussion of Telnet Protocol--- T.C. O'Sullivan5/7/71 ASCII Updates RFC0137, Updated by RFC0158--- UNKNOWN
RFC0137Telnet Protocol - a proposed document--- T.C. O'Sullivan4/30/71 ASCII Updated by RFC0139--- UNKNOWN
RFC0097First Cut at a Proposed Telnet Protocol--- J.T. Melvin, R.W. Watson2/15/71 (Not online) --- UNKNOWN