RFC 856 · INTERNET STANDARD · 1983
MON · 15 JUN 2026
Telnet Binary Transmission
Overview
RFC 856, “Telnet Binary Transmission”, is an Internet Standard document published in May 1983 by J. Postel, J. Reynolds. The canonical text is published by the RFC Editor.
Abstract
This Telnet Option enables a binary data mode between the Telnet modules. This RFC specifies a standard for the ARPA Internet community. Hosts on the ARPA Internet are expected to adopt and implement this standard. Obsoletes NIC 15389.
What “Internet Standard” means
A mature, widely-implemented specification that has completed the full IETF standards process — the highest maturity level on the standards track.
Read this RFC
The canonical text of RFC 856 is hosted at rfc-editor.org. Available in TXT,HTML.
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