The Serial Port Mirror

Our three-year journey creating a dial-up ISP

The Serial Port Mirror — Wed, 08 Jul 2026 13:22:14 GMT

Our three year journey to create a dial-up ISP reaches its conclusion.

The ISP Series playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7qsY2QIYd8PLW1zXVcNFVA_oBqj5hwxy

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and check out our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport
Got some retro gear you want to donate? Get in touch with us at serialport.org.

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#dialup #90s #internet

00:00 — Looking back
02:23 — Episode 1: How To Start an ISP (like it's 1993)
18:44 — Episode 2: SAVING a 30-year old Sun workstation
56:42 — Episode 3: 1.5Mbps of pure '90s: Setting up a T-1 Today
1:14:40 — Episode 4: Terminal servers for Dial-up ISPs
2:06:35 — Episode 5: Is our ISP ready for a beta test?
2:38:45 — Episode 6: Configuring RADIUS for a dial-up ISP
2:54:08 — Rescuing the TOTAL CONTROL from an abandoned dial-up ISP
3:08:16 — Episode 7: DIAL-UP goes DIGITAL: Setting up PRI for the TOTAL CONTROL
3:30:53 — Pushing Dial-up Modems Further Than We EVER Thought Possible
3:55:42 — The Final Episode: Uncovering the original Dialstar hard drives!

ALASKA: Where did this peculiar server come from?

The Serial Port Mirror — Sun, 21 Jun 2026 05:18:31 GMT

Come hang out with us while we look at a peculiar server and get it back up and running!

3dGameMan.com's review of the Tyan Tomcat h1000s: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7K1yPpeiBA8

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#homelab #linux

00:00 — Checking out an old server
06:31 — Alaska está en México
08:54 — Repairing the power supply
12:51 — The Tyan motherboard
17:02 — SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
27:03 — What's next?

References:

Alaska documents and research. https://files.serialport.org/Alaska/
Intel SCB2SCSI (photos by maniek86). https://theretroweb.com/motherboards/s/intel-scb2scsi-coos-bay

Talking on the Internet Phone in 1995

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 06:00:46 GMT

Making a phone call over the internet in 1995 was amazing!

Check out Elon Ganor's site: https://www.elonganor.com

Additionally, special thanks to Jeff Pulver. Find out more about him here:
https://www.pulver.com
https://www.vonevolution.com
https://thejeffpulver.substack.com

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#internet #voip #retro

00:00 — 1974
07:32 — The beginning of VocalTec
10:36 — It didn't work
16:32 — What if we connected it to the Internet?
23:59 — Hello World
27:31 — The IRC problem
32:16 — Can we bring it back?
39:06 — The seed that started VoIP
42:10 — Bonus footage & Credits

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vTZDp7oidrxSZSSoWyzseNgs2gv2U5fd6AiPOwGHHhilK7pbiuInEKDa0zgN6LpLHwLhkgRV-NgYPPD/pub

Microsoft NetMeeting was WAY more important than you think

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 05:33:27 GMT

The 30th anniversary of Microsoft NetMeeting and the untold story of its development.

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and check out our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport

Got some retro gear you want to donate? Get in touch with us at serialport.org.

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#internet #video #microsoft #t120

00:00 — Remembering NetMeeting
01:20 — The Conferencing Problem
06:30 — T.120
10:51 — Data Connection Limited
16:19 — DataBeam
19:33 — Microsoft
28:00 — Windows NT Terminal Server Edition
32:09 — The legacy
35:18 — Here's to 30 years

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSxv98hmCXFsRqW9w5TLg-5vvQbczuTpkZqc8kRymK8vCr36eBPFnV9ejS8Oa-VpaNNyS2uyeVQl_C-/pub

The hidden story behind the Virtual LAN

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 05:14:59 GMT

We asked: where did VLANs come from? And the answer revealed some unexpected surprises...

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#networking #90s #ethernet

00:00 — 1995
00:51 — Bellcore
06:17 — Alantec
11:37 — Before the standard
16:17 — Crafting a standard
24:13 — The next two years
26:05 — The legacy of VLANs
27:50 — Outro

Video write up and references we used: https://serialport.org/blog/1995-the-year-of-the-virtual-lan/

Recreating the FIRST Dell Linux PC

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 04:22:47 GMT

In 2007, Dell started an experiment in direct customer feedback, and ended up creating their first desktop PC with Linux. Follow along as we recreate this model and try to relive the Dell-Ubuntu experience.

#linux #dell #2000s

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

00:00 — The Year of the Linux Desktop
01:07 — IdeaStorm
05:11 — The XPS 410
09:25 — Installing Ubuntu (over PXE!)
16:00 — Automating the install
19:14 — Fixing some issues
22:26 — Quake 4
24:25 — Was Dell successful?
26:10 — Almost to 100k!

References:

Oracle PR. (2011). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Michael_Dell_(6211618173).jpg
dhart. (2007). Pre-Installed Linux | Ubuntu | Fedora | OpenSUSE | Multi-Boot. https://web.archive.org/web/20070221024951/http://www.dellideastorm.com/article/show/61771
Menchaca, L. (2007). Dell Offers Three Consumer Systems With Ubuntu 7.04. https://web.archive.org/web/20070602054632/http://direct2dell.com/one2one/archive/2007/05/24/15994.aspx
Microsoft Windows Vista Launch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pApfluGN4rI
WindowsBlueyFan. (2024). Windows Vista Ultimate Review. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS_Jr6P_dU0
benanzo. (2007). Review of Dell XPS 410n with Ubuntu Feisty preinstalled. https://web.archive.org/web/20100818184048/http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?p=2764621
Poseidon Laboratories. Network book environments. https://matchbox.psdn.io/network-booting/
Hamish. (2018). Playing Quake 4 on Linux in 2018. https://www.gamingonlinux.com/2018/01/playing-quake-4-on-linux-in-2018/

You won't believe what we found in this CD changer!

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 04:07:22 GMT

Both of us have always wanted a CD changer, so let's try one out!

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#bbs #90s #dialup

00:00 — How to get people to dial in
01:18 — ValueMedia VM-7200
09:29 — Shareware
11:03 — Trying the IBM Aptiva
14:24 — PCs Limited
22:37 — The Ambra
27:17 — WILDCAT!
34:02 — Does it actually work?
39:36 — Finding software back then

A $25,000 server from 1999!

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:58:48 GMT

We bring an abandoned Compaq ProLiant 6500 back to life, and even better than before.

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#90s #pcgaming #restoration

00:00 — Reawakening
01:09 — What is it?
05:08 — Disassembly
09:50 — Cleaning and more cleaning
11:43 — Reassembly
14:53 — Upgrades
18:56 — Roaring back to life
20:48 — RedHat
30:07 — Quad CPUs for QUAD DAMAGE!
32:40 — Outro

Huge thanks to:

Karl Casey @ White Bat Audio for "Kill Switch":
https://karlcasey.bandcamp.com/track/killswitch

as well as...

bert for the smooth "offline":
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZBZBzTTCO94
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/5M7Fen0QRGgHb6bhjSOKT1

Downtown Binary for the expansive "Astral":
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bC__mwZ6EQ
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/1uGa6ryU3GodJXBlFCAqNj

Above music provided by Lofi Girl.

A story about a terminal server named Tommy

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:49:02 GMT

We bring back Tommy the Terminal Server from the dead! But it isn't easy...

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#internet #90s #dialup

00:00 — Ascension
01:09 — A 20 year+ possession
02:56 — The problem
10:51 — It's back!
12:51 — Modem time
17:19 — The real challenge
19:43 — The first handshake
24:19 — What's next?

The Secret Origins of a Legendary PC Hardware Database

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:40:17 GMT

If you're in the retro PC hobby, you've probably heard of The Retro Web... but where did all of that data come from?

To get started with contributing to The Retro Web, visit https://theretroweb.com/info/contributions

Also check out:
CapsWiki: https://caps.wiki/wiki/Main_Page
CRT Database: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOaKmLV0lcKQ3P1-bJ8xNqiwDGEfH_wYraFW52psfME2itzg/viewform
Terminals Wiki: https://terminals-wiki.org
VGA Museum: https://www.vgamuseum.info/index.php/donations

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

00:00 — Preservation
00:56 — The Retro Web
03:32 — Micro House International
13:54 — Total Hardware 1999
17:32 — Ultimate Hardware 2019
22:37 — The original Retro Web
26:34 — The Retro Web, today
31:14 — Continuing the journey
32:28 — Outro

#90s #computer #retro

References:

Dawson, Pat. (2025). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Deksor. (2025). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Zago. (2025). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Fire. (2025). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Haninger, Andy. (2025). Email correspondence.
MCbx. (2016). So who made TH99? https://oldcomputer.info/log/index.php?id=20161011213039-so-who-made-th99
Wise, T. (2012). https://www.flickr.com/photos/photographingtravis/16753708419
edwardhblake (2016). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_PC_5150_(1).jpg
de Rijcke, R. (2007). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_PC_XT_color.jpg
phreakindee (2013). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:IBM_PC_XT_5160.jpg
ZMASLO. (2024). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:RETRO;_Pierwszy_komputer_PC_(2160p_30fps_VP9_LQ-128kbit_AAC)-00.00.56.000.png
Long, E. (2024). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Apple_IIe_with_Duo-Disc_(53996919647).jpg
Mühlpfordt, H. (2007). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AMD_Am386_DX-40_2007_03_27.jpg
Mister rf. (2023). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MH1M09A0AJ-7.jpg
qbradq. (2018). Let's Shareware: Wolfenstein 3D Part 1. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm5jVf4mk_8
Shiflizb (2024). Original DOOM is still Epic | Doom 1993 Gameplay. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpfJJNZDLNw
Ethanbrodsky. (2007). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Vp6_blown_capacitor.jpg
ABC News. (2020). Italy on lockdown over coronavirus.
Sky News. (2020). Italian towns in COVID-19 lockdown.

Internet Relay Chat.

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 03:13:42 GMT

Our love letter to Internet Relay Chat.

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and check out our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport

Got some retro gear you want to donate? Get in touch with us at serialport.org.

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#internet #chat

00:00 — Source code
00:59 — Why IRC?
04:27 — Because It's Time Network
08:32 — Alku
11:40 — Trillian
16:00 — The splits
22:14 — The legacy of IRC
25:07 — Something special

References and sources: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQjGmdjmESDJP7dy6S5f2iXossxO1tfI-oHszpZrzfbnJvB3lPNscTtUVj43hf4HEzJVU6EbVlKwy8P/pub

512K Day: The Day The Internet (almost) Broke

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:56:47 GMT

On August 12, 2014, a limit was breached with far-reaching consequences for the Internet.

Thanks to our partner Abacus Hardware: https://www.abacushardware.com/

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#2010s #internet #technology

00:00 — Intro
00:42 — The growing table
04:55 — BGPMon
08:15 — August 12, 2014
12:27 — The Cisco 6500
15:46 — Recreating 512K Day
23:58 — Will we be ready?

References:

Toonk, Andree. (2025). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Berry, Brian. (2025). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Huston, G. (2001). Analyzing the Internet’s BGP Routing Table. https://www.ece.ucf.edu/~yuksem/teaching/ip/reading/huston-bgp.pdf
Huston, G. (2015). That 512K Route Thing. APNIC. https://labs.apnic.net/presentations/store/2015-01-29-routers-routing.pdf
de Silva, S. (2007). 6500 FIB Forwarding Capacities. Cisco Systems. https://archive.nanog.org/meetings/nanog39/presentations/fib-desilva.pdf
Popeskic, V. (2015). TCAM and CAM memory usage inside networking devices. https://howdoesinternetwork.com/2015/tcam-memory

The incredible story of ALTEON

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:55:02 GMT

Don't you hate it when you try to build a NIC and switch, but accidentally build a load balancer instead?

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

00:00 — Aces wild
00:33 — 1995
06:03 — Fateful design choices
14:20 — An opportunity
21:17 — IPO
23:29 — AceDirector2
29:01 — Outro

#networking #y2k #web

Huge thanks to:

bert for the smooth "offline":
Watch: https://lofigirl.com/releases/offline/
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/5M7Fen0QRGgHb6bhjSOKT1

S N U G for the wonderful "Purple Skies":
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5mJ7o_AQmQ
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/2nivV1pgFdEoGRwQmSjsRj

Above music provided by Lofi Girl.

References:

Hayes, John. (2024). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Buying Windows 95 on Launch day. Vampire Robot. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcbAC4qI9pQ
Sony PlayStation - Pre-Launch promotion video (1995). fenarinarsa. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wWbfrx_uKYs
Hepler, J. A. (1993). Network Jam. Computerworld, April 26 1990.
Telecineguy (2017). Serial HIPPI fibre optic cable. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SerialHIPPIfibre_optic_cable.jpg
Rautakorpi, P. (2013). Die shot of MIPS R4000 microprocessor on wafer. https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MIPS_R4000_die.JPG
Interop 97. (1997). Open Network, September 1997. http://motobayashi.net/interop/1997lasvegas/index.html
HYDE (2023), Gapminder (2022), UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. “Number of people using the Internet” [dataset]. International Telecommunication Union (via World Bank), “World Development Indicators”. Various sources, “Population” [original data]. https://ourworldindata.org/grapher/number-of-internet-users
Cloudflare Load Balancing: Product Demo. Cloudflare. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjD136piimk
How do I connect a public-facing load balancer to EC2 instances that have private IP addresses?. Amazon Web Services. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Ut0cEWV9NQ
cole8888 (2020). Broadcom BCM5708 (PNG, No Dust, White Balanced). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Broadcom_BCM5708_(PNG,_No_Dust,_White_Balanced).png

Terminal Servers for Dial-up ISPs - ISP Series Episode 4

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:54:54 GMT

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 two-part 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 Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP) that helped usher in the dial-up age.

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and check out our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport

#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/hackers/

Downtown Binary for the amazing music from the "2 A.M Chill Session" compilation and "Astral" EP
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z-_TTyZUOLk
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/album/3PZmQxxLUZwyyMgXWUpmuw
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bC__mwZ6EQ
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/1uGa6ryU3GodJXBlFCAqNj?si=qWn-JoZzRUebT3PBIMA_qw

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

Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oowTGZgbDus
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/3xYot56LMX2hIUjXRVZZvp

Above music provided by Lofi Girl.

References:

Lloyd, Brian. Video Interview. Conducted by Serial Port, July 2023.
Hackers, Wizards of the Electronic Age (1985). CC-BY-3.0. Directed by Fabrice Florin.
Oakland University Libraries. https://library.oakland.edu/about/timeline/index.php?topic=technology
LaQuey, Tracy (1993). The Internet Companion. Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
SparkFun Electronics. https://www.sparkfun.com/quiz/58

TWISTED: The dramatic history of twisted-pair Ethernet

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:52:38 GMT

The simple and ubiquitous RJ-45. Unshielded twisted-pair wire. How did we end up using these for Ethernet? We wanted to find out, and it took us on a decade-long journey.

Also check out our previous video on early Ethernet: https://youtu.be/Hvqv9QcTcfA

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

00:00 — Intro
00:53 — Coax
02:29 — 1983
10:37 — StarLAN
13:24 — Harder, better, faster, stronger
16:47 — The problem with UTP
26:32 — Predecessors
27:22 — Outro

#networking #ethernet #netro

References:

Bennett, Richard. (2024). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Thaler, Patricia. (2024). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Schmidt, R. V. (1988). Developing Ethernet Capability on Unshielded Twisted Pair. Telecommunications.
Brandt, R. B. (1988). STARLAN: Local-area networking on Twisted-Pair Wiring. AT&T Technology.
Stix, G. (1988). Telephone wiring: a conduit for networking standards. IEEE Spectrum.
Historical AT&T footage from https://www.youtube.com/@ATTTechChannel
Barney, C. (1984). AT&T Bares Bargain Net for Offices. ElectronicsWeek. Vol 57.
Computer Networks. (1985). Stewart Cheifet Productions.
IEEE standards for local area networks. (1988). IEEE.
IEEE standards for local area networks. (1990). IEEE.
Motorola Dynatrac 8000X commercial from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HiOvOqkKVkE

IMPULSE: We Resurrected Underground 1990s BBS Software in 2025.. with Docker

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:48:05 GMT

We look at a BBS platform called Impulse. Popular with underground boards in the 90s, we try to bring it back with a modern twist.

Serial Port GitLab: https://gitlab.serialport.org/
Impulse archives: https://files.serialport.org/bbs/impulse/

Want to learn more about BBSes? Check out:

The ANSI Art scene is still alive at https://16colo.rs/

Hundreds of BBSes are still online today at https://www.telnetbbsguide.com/

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and join our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport

Got some retro gear you want to donate? Get in touch with us at serialport.org.

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#bbs #90s #git #dialup #ansiart

00:00 — Intro
00:38 — Why?
02:30 — Brandon Sneed aka Nivenh
12:34 — Relearning everything
17:51 — Modernizing the build
20:24 — Our first bugfix
21:05 — It's back, baby
23:09 — This is only the start
24:07 — Outro (plus bonus outtakes)

References:

Sneed, Brandon. (2024). Interview conducted by Serial Port.
Impulse. Jack Phlash (1999). https://web.archive.org/web/19991009024201/http://www.demonic.net/impulse/
Various ANSIs from iCE and ACiD paks (1995-1996). Sourced from https://16colo.rs
Trip. Moshe and Zden. https://demozoo.org/productions/18006/
Second Reality. Future Crew. https://demozoo.org/productions/108/
Androulidakis, I. (2009). On the importance of securing telephony systems.
Borland International Corporate Headquarters. KRJDA Archive. https://www.krjda.com/projects/borland-international-corporate-headquarters

Discovering retro tech heaven at VCFMW 2024

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:47:06 GMT

Mark met up with @clabretro to attend and explore the incredible VCFMW 19 festival in Schaumburg, IL. Featuring dozens of exhibits and sellers, this was retro tech paradise!

Be sure to check out https://protoweb.org.

And hello to:

Ron from @RonsCompVids
Kevin from @yyzkevin416
and Jim from @TheOldskoolPC

#retrotech #festival

Our second channel:@TheParallelPort

Pushing Dial-up Modems Further Than We EVER Thought Possible

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:40:05 GMT

We pay homage to the dial-up modem in the best way we know possible, and perhaps set a world record?

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#dialup #internet #90s

00:00 — Intro
00:33 — Everything was slow
04:00 — Is it even possible?
05:10 — Preparation
09:31 — More modems!
14:21 — Trying out four modems
17:16 — Double it
20:10 — Taking it to the MAX
23:24 — Behind the scenes
24:18 — Outro

References:

Zickuhr, K., & Smith, A. (2012). Digital Differences. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewinternet.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/Files/Reports/2012/PIP_Digital_differences_041312.pdf
Lloyd, B., McGregor, G., Sklower, K. L., & Carr, D. (1994). The PPP Multilink Protocol (MP) - RFC 1717. IETF. https://datatracker.ietf.org/doc/rfc1717/

How an IRC bot spawned the world’s most prolific software

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:34:17 GMT

curl has become one of the most prolific software tools ever made.

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and check out our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport

Got some retro gear you want to donate? Get in touch with us at serialport.org.

Our second channel: @TheParallelPort

#internet #opensource #software #unix

00:00 — It's everywhere
00:55 — Demoscenen
02:44 — Dancer
05:57 — HTTPget
08:03 — curl
11:44 — AI slop
15:15 — Bringing Dancer back!
17:30 — Outro

References: https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vQPtP9_v8qMEhuRfhTX8Rgj7r2Mkn1j7xLyUJ3LIyWFJLQPl6a-YCspWlDZewJVp1lD3t_KnMVq88nz/pub

SAVING a 30-year old Sun workstation! - ISP Series Episode 2

The Serial Port Mirror — Sat, 30 May 2026 02:33:39 GMT

While we may have left on a cliffhanger in our first ISP episode, this might be our most extensive video to date. We get up close with the SPARCclassic, and delve into the hardware and software that will power our early-90s ISP.

Want more content like this? Support our mission! Send us a Super Thanks and check out our Patreon + Discord community: https://www.patreon.com/serialport

#90s #internet #technology

00:00 — Loading complete
00:24 — Preserving the history
01:05 — The SPARCclassic
03:24 — Starting the repair
04:52 — Power supply
15:45 — NVRAM
16:42 — Floppy drive
19:14 — Case
22:15 — Reassembly
25:56 — NVRAM programming
28:05 — Installation server
30:09 — Solaris 2.6 install
33:53 — First boot
35:48 — Connecting a modem
38:05 — User #1
38:59 — Outro

Huge thanks to:

Foudroie for the wonderful music from their album "The Journey"
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_YoRx3P8CKE
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/4K8Lc2Y2YpvbgzDQW7Ektp

Allem Iversom for the smooth sounds of "Chapter Two"
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mHnTMm22T9I
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/intl-fr/album/7Fei78OltSJ3PcFyK8ahLy

...and Downtown Binary for the mega "Astral"
Watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6bC__mwZ6EQ
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/1uGa6ryU3GodJXBlFCAqNj?si=qWn-JoZzRUebT3PBIMA_qw

Above music provided by Lofi Girl.

References:

Ashdown, Pete. Video Interview. Conducted by Serial Port, July 2023.
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