I need to provide my consultant/contract programmer with a remote
console to admin (via commandline only) my WinXP? Pro machine. So....

--) Do I need a telnet server, or is there a built-in (or resource
kit) tool that provides this functionality?

--) If I need a telnet server (because there's no reskit version),
please create a "short list" of the 3-5 most popular/standard/robust
telnet servers available. Please feel to make recommendations: I'm
looking for a $50ish server that is the middle-of-the-road between
power and simplicity.

Here's some background... 

--) Connections to the telnet server must not disrupt the user (me)
currently using the workstation.

--) Only one user will ever connect to the telnet server. 

--) By "telnet", I don't mean that I want a unix-like shell for
Windows, but simply a win32 commandline piped across the internet.
Encryption preferred.

---

Clarification of Question by donphiltrodt-ga on 02 Dec 2002 16:44 PST

Title should read "remote commandline".  (I have no idea what a
"commandling" is, but I imagine it'd be pretty hostile.)

Hi donphiltrodt,

The best and easiest way of doing what you are looking to do is to use
a program (free!) that allows remote Command Prompt access to any
windows machine. I use it myself: and it works like a dream.

A set of programs called "pstools" is available for free at
systernals.com:
http://www.systernals.com

The file is located here:
http://www.systernals.com/ntw2k/freeware/pstools.shtml

These are small DOS programs that give you all sorts of new features.
The one you want to use is called 'psexec.exe'.

To use the tool, first download and extract the files into their own
directory. Then, navigate to the directory that you've extracted the
files to and type the command:

psexec \\computer [-u username [-p password]] cmd

now, the easiest way to ensure it works properly is to use the IP
address of your computer instead of the computer name. Hence, if you
want to connect to a computer called \\WKST1 at 192.168.0.1 with the
username of 'Administrator' and password of 'password' you'd type:

psexec \\192.168.0.1 -u Administrator -p password cmd

Voila, you get a remote Command Prompt that allows you to use commands
like ipconfig, etc.. to remotely administer the computer.

I hope this is what you needed. Please ask for clarifiction, if
needed, prior to rating this answer.

Thanks!

Legolas-ga

No search was done for this answer: all information was from my own
knowledge. However, you can try a google search with the following
terms:

remote command prompt
remote command prompt free
related:www.systernals.com

---

Request for Answer Clarification by donphiltrodt-ga on 02 Dec 2002 19:48 PST

PRB: I had to enable Microsoft networking on my internet NIC to get
this to work.  Now I'm just that much more vulnerable to script
kiddies.

PRB: I had to create an additional user on my system, then found out I
can't (or don't know how) to restrict this user (the consultant) to
only certain directories.  After "logging in", the consultant starts
in the system32 directory.  Yikes.

PRB: There is no logging of the user's activity (like any decent
telnet server would have.)

It is a cool tool (remote commandline), but seems designed to work
only in a high-trust environment, unlike a telnet server.

---

Request for Answer Clarification by donphiltrodt-ga on 02 Dec 2002 19:50 PST

Maybe I should be less subtle:  I don't like the psexec approach (for
reasons stated).  Please submit short list of telnet servers.  Thank
you.

---

Clarification of Answer by legolas-ga on 02 Dec 2002 20:03 PST

Here's a list of telnet servers that may fit the bill:

Good Tech Systems sells a Windows Telnet Server for Windows XP. It's
$100 for 2 connections. More information can be found here:
http://www.goodtechsys.com/

Pragma sells a Windows Telnet Server that seems to have more security
settings to limit access. Apparently, they say that Pragma
TelnetServer is the "most feature complete telnet server for Windows".
It's $399. You can find the product here:
http://www.pragmasys.com/TelnetServer/

The above two links seem to be the best/most used servers around that
I could find. Incidently, the psexec program works under the user
account that is used to login to the system. Properly setting ACL's on
directories where you do not want the consultant to access would fix
the problems you mentioned about the product.

Microsoft has a quick primer on ACL (Access Control Lists) that might
interest you. You can find the primer here:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/pro/using/howto/security/accesscontrol.asp

Hope that helps!

Legolas-ga

Search Terms:

telnet server windows
access control windows

---

Clarification of Answer by legolas-ga on 02 Dec 2002 20:33 PST

I found one other Windows Telnet Server that might interest you. It's
$59. It has its own list of users.
http://www.jordan.com/WindowsTelnetServer/index.jsp

Thanks again,

Legolas-ga

The researcher offered a cool suggestion, but after much
consideration, I've decided that his answer wasn't worth $10.  The
question clearly requested a telnet solution, but his "systernal"
answer was NOT a telnet solution, but a remote execution via MS
networking.  The proposed "solution" requires allowing MS Networking
on my internet connection and that exposes me to security problems. 
In fact, I got pop-up spammed within days of trying his solution, but
decided it was unworkable for reasons given.

Short version: the 1st answer wasn't about telnet, but a windows-based
remote commandline.  I used the word "telnet" on purpose.

When I asked for clarification, he just threw me some search results. 
Geez.  I can do that.  I don't pay for some to SEARCH for me, I pay
for REsearch.  The fact he never mentioned OpenSSH (which even the
quickest research would uncover) suggests that not much effort was put
into research.

If I had priced the question at $5, I wouldn't ask for a refund.  But
I just don't feel like I received $10 worth of value from this
transaction.  Please process a refund.

Hi, Legolas and Donphiltrodt:

The original telnet protocol is not encrypted.  This sounds like a job
for SSH (Secure Shell) protocol.  As with telnet, there are plenty of
free SSH clients around (e.g. do a Web search on PuTTY), but expect to
pay money for the server end of things.  $100 buys a business license
for WinSSH here:

http://www.bitvise.com/winsshd.html

with lower prices for academic and personal use. 

Naturally if you want to restrict the consultant's permissions on your
machine, you will want to set up the user account accordingly.  It's
hard to make a recommendation without clarification of the
consultant's role.  The original description was "to admin (via
commandline only) my WinXP? Pro machine".  I read that initially to
mean administrator privileges, or at least Power User, e.g. to perform
backups and other routine maintenance.

regards, mathtalk-ga