Is it necessary to have a deep understanding of the Telnet protocol in order to interact with a Zyxel Router using PHP?

To interact with a Zyxel Router using PHP, it is not necessary to have a deep understanding of the Telnet protocol. You can use a PHP library like phpseclib to handle the Telnet communication with the router. This library simplifies the process of sending commands and receiving responses over Telnet, allowing you to interact with the router without needing to fully grasp the underlying protocol.

<?php
// Include the phpseclib library
include('Net/Telnet.php');

// Create a new Telnet object
$telnet = new Net_Telnet();

// Connect to the Zyxel Router
$telnet->connect('192.168.1.1', 23);

// Login to the router
$telnet->login('username', 'password');

// Send a command to the router
$output = $telnet->exec('show interfaces');

// Display the command output
echo $output;

// Disconnect from the router
$telnet->disconnect();
?>