I can’t remember the last time I used Telnet, not for debugging purposes that is, it was probably for setting up routers or other networking devices a few years ago. Hardly anyone uses Telnet for it’s original intended purpose anymore, mostly due to it’s lacking security. When I do need Telnet, I use it out of PuTTY, quick, simple and comfortable. So it was a bit of surprise to see that Telnet is not part of the default Windows installation anymore (Since Windows Vista). It’s still there, just not available until you specifically enable it.

To enable Telnet on Windows 7, do the following:
Go to Start –> Control Panel
Choose Programs –> Programs and Features
Click Turn Windows features on or off, it might take a while until the list loads
In the list, check the Telnet checkbox and click ok.
It might take a while here again.

That’s it, Telnet is enabled.