Learn MS-DOS (Part 7) - Networking & Communication Commands in MS-DOS

🖥 Introduction

Back in the 80s and 90s, MS-DOS wasn’t just for working on a single PC. With the right tools, it could also connect computers, share files, and even access the early internet. DOS networking commands were the foundation of local area networks (LANs) and communication tools.

These commands feel simple today, but at that time, they were revolutionary — letting computers “talk” to each other.

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🔹 1. PING – Test Network Connection

Purpose: Sends small packets of data to another computer to test if it’s reachable.

Syntax:

PING [hostname or IP address]

Example:

PING 192.168.1.1

Checks if the computer at IP 192.168.1.1 is online.

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🔹 2. FTP – File Transfer Protocol

Purpose: Transfers files between computers over a network.

Syntax:

FTP [hostname]

Examples:

FTP ftp.example.com

Connects to the FTP server at ftp.example.com.

Inside FTP, you can use commands like:

• GET file.txt → download file

• PUT file.txt → upload file

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🔹 3. TELNET – Remote Login

Purpose: Allows logging into another computer remotely and using its command line.

Syntax:

TELNET [hostname or IP]

Example:

TELNET 192.168.1.50

Connects to a remote machine at IP 192.168.1.50.

(Now considered outdated and insecure, replaced by SSH in modern systems.)

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🔹 4. NET – Networking Utilities

Purpose: A powerful set of commands for managing networks in DOS/Windows.

Common Uses:

• NET USE → Connect to shared resources

• NET VIEW → Show computers in the network

• NET SHARE → Share folders or drives

Examples:

NET VIEW

Shows all computers in the local network.

NET USE Z: \\SERVER\FILES

Maps the shared folder FILES from SERVER to drive Z:.

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🔹 5. NBTSTAT – NetBIOS Statistics

Purpose: Displays NetBIOS over TCP/IP information and troubleshooting stats.

Syntax:

NBTSTAT [options]

Example:

NBTSTAT -n

Shows local NetBIOS names.

NBTSTAT -A 192.168.1.2

Shows NetBIOS info of a remote machine.

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🔹 6. ARP – Address Resolution Protocol

Purpose: Displays and modifies the ARP cache (mapping of IP addresses to MAC addresses).

Syntax:

ARP -a

Example:

ARP -a

Lists all cached IP-to-MAC address mappings.

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🔹 7. TRACERT – Trace Route

Purpose: Shows the path data takes to reach another computer, hop by hop.

Syntax:

TRACERT [hostname or IP]

Example:

TRACERT google.com

Shows the route from your computer to Google servers.

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🧰 Bonus Tips

• PING is always the first step in troubleshooting any network issue.

• NET USE was the go-to command in office LANs for mapping shared drives.

• Most of these commands still exist in Windows today — proving how DOS laid the foundation of networking.

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✅ Conclusion

Networking commands turned MS-DOS into more than a personal computer system — they made it a connected system. From sharing files to remote logins, DOS networking commands paved the way for modern internet tools.

👉 Next in Part 8, we’ll explore Batch Programming in MS-DOS — where you can automate tasks with scripts.