can't login through telnet but can on console
 

This may be a bit esoteric for the newbie forum but I am a Linux newbie. We are putting the first Linux machine (RedHat 7.2) on a Sun/Solaris network. We use NIS for logins. I have the new machine using NIS just fine (passwd, automounting, hosts, etc.). The problem is that although I can login on the console using an account that comes from NIS I can't through telnet. The only way I can telnet in is to use a local, non-root account. I understand why I may not be able to login as root through telnet (many systems do not allow non-console access to root) but not why I can't telnet in using a NIS account.

I am sure there is some switch or config somewhere to fix this but I can't find it.

Thanks in advance.

I always login to my 5.2 machine through the telnet port as root. I eventually found out how it could be done. Edit the /etc/pam.d/login file and comment out the line with "pam_securetty.so" by placing a # at the begining of the line. Then try to login as root from telnet.

telnet is usually disallowed for root access by default. it can be a major security risk.