Solaris built in command for TCP connection without all the telnet stuff

Question

Sometimes telnet is used for testing non telnet servers such as HTTP or SMTP servers where the TELNET protocol usually stays out of the way. However, I think I have run into a case where it is in the way while debugging a TCP server. I ran

telnet localhost < data_file

And the data the server receives is different than what is in the file.

Is there either an option to telnet or a whole nother command that I can use?

If it has to be installed separately, then I don't want it. I will just do without.

Answer 1

Well, actually it's called netcat and is Not a built-in for Solaris. But you have another option if you use bash or zsh (or may be something else):

man bash:

Bash handles several filenames specially when they are  used
in redirections, as described in the following table:
  …
     /dev/tcp/host/port
          If host is a valid hostname or  Internet  address,
          and  port  is  an  integer  port number or service
          name, bash attempts to open a  TCP  connection  to
          the corresponding socket.

Answer 2

I guess netcat? There's a package here. But it isn't provided by Sun default. Do you have something against packages?

Answer 3

Maybe tcpdump? But since it is obviously not important...