telnet without enterin g the telnet prompt bash
 

i am writing a script to test for open ports using telnet

telnet $server $port
if [ $? -eq 0 ]
echo $port on $server open
fi

but telnet $server $port enters the telnet command prompt

Can anyone please tell me how can i use telnet for not entering the telnet promt?

Hi

You can set the escape character by explicitly mention the escape character. After that you can get the exit status.

Eg :1

$echo "q" | telnet -e q localhost 23 2>/dev/null;echo $?
Telnet escape character is 'q'.
Trying 127.0.0.1...
1

Eg: 2

$ echo "q" | telnet -e q localhost 22 2>/dev/null;echo $?
Telnet escape character is 'q'.
Trying 127.0.0.1...
Connected to localhost.
Escape character is 'q'.

telnet> Connection closed.
0
--
Thanks,
Bijo

You do know there is an utility for that already - its called "nmap".

And nmap can do a lot more than just making telnet connections.

http://nmap.org/book/man.html

thnx a lot for helping :)