How do you connect dozens of modems to your 90s ISP? We embark on a mission to find out by comprehensively evaluating terminal servers in this epic twopart special. In this episode we check out the Xyplex MaxServer 1620 and the Xylogics Micro Annex XL. We also hear from Brian Lloyd, one of the creators of the PointtoPoint Protocol (PPP) that helped usher in the dialup age.

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#90s #internet #networking

00:00 — The doorway
00:43 — How do you connect dozens of modems?
01:46 — The origin of terminal servers
03:24 — Brian Lloyd
10:56 — Terminal server basics
12:55 — Xyplex MaxServer 1620
29:36 — Our thoughts on the Xyplex
30:48 — Xylogics Micro Annex XL
48:47 — Our thoughts on the Xylogics
49:51 — Conclusions
50:16 — Outro
50:52 — Voicemail courtesy of Packard Bell

Huge thanks to:

Brian Lloyd for regaling us with incredible stories and insight.

Fabrice Florin (fabriceflorin.com) for the early clip of Richard Stallman. Check out the full documentary on this exciting time period at https://fabriceflorin.com/2018/08/20/...

Downtown Binary for the amazing music from the "2 A.M Chill Session" compilation and "Astral" EP
Watch:    • 2 A.M Chill Session  [synthwave/chil...  
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/intlfr/albu...
Watch:    • Downtown Binary  Astral [synthwave/c...  
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/1uGa6r...

...and Kalaido for the masterpiece "Ghosts of the Floating World"

Watch:    • Kalaido  Ghosts of the Floating Worl...  
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/3xYot5...

Above music provided by Lofi Girl.

References:

Lloyd, Brian. Video Interview. Conducted by Serial Port, July 2023.
Hackers, Wizards of the Electronic Age (1985). CCBY3.0. Directed by Fabrice Florin.
Oakland University Libraries. https://library.oakland.edu/about/tim...
LaQuey, Tracy (1993). The Internet Companion. AddisonWesley Publishing Company.
SparkFun Electronics. https://www.sparkfun.com/quiz/58