Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net

Preamble

Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net (hereby shortened to CGHMN for easier reference) originally started as me making good on a promise to use a Cisco AS5300 I acquired years ago to make a Dial-Up internet provider. Over time while working on the project and watching other YouTubers work on their own ISP projects it became clear that many of them are happy to set up the hardware, there was very little interest (or ability) to make it usable to other folks, or to have anything fun or useful to "do" with it (beyond the novelty of browsing a few vintage websites such as FrogFinder)

CGHMN (its name borrowing from a Simpsons joke, naturally) is another one of my "biting off far more than I can possibly chew" projects. Intended to be an intersection point between art, shitpost, rejection of "internet modernity", refuge for the nostalgic and a communal home for projects of a specifically retro computing bent.

CGHMN is currently in its embryonic stages as I step through the trial-by-fire of the reality of setting up 1990's era telecommunications infrastructure in a way that is both functional and not inconvenient for myself or others in the space it is physically housed in.

An eventual goal is to provide "open" access to an era of the web that has been not so much "lost" as obliterated by capitalism. A space that can mimic "the vibe" of the late 1990's internet through faithful reconstruction or mimicry of the hardware and software stacks that powered it.

Mechanisms will be implemented to discourage (but not outright prevent) "modern systems" from accessing the network where possible, both for the security of users on the network and to try and further the "vibe" of using period-accurate hardware and software. Using IRC and playing StarCraft on Windows 11 simply isn't as "fun" for us!

A longer term goal includes providing democratized access for users to begin submitting their own projects and content ala Geocities and setting up federated networking with other retro computing users, similar to GlobalTalk but with a larger scope of features and functionality

So what's this all about?

CGHMN is a collaborative project aimed to create a late 1990's/early 2000's compatible "internet" for retro computing enthusiasts and their machines

Okay so how do I connect to it?

We're currently exploring the best way(s) to allow users to connect their machines to the network. Our intention is to provide as varied a list of options as possible. Current outlined methods under investigation are

• Real V.92 Dial-Up service. Pending the ability to acquire a PRI line we would be able to provide dial-in services via a 425 or 206 area code phone number. This service would likely be limited to 24 concurrent users and would be shared with VoIP users
• Dial-In via VoIP. A user on Mastodon has claimed to have successfully run Dial-Up service over VoIP even with an international connection from China to South America. This needs to be explored further
• Ethernet tunneling/emulation. Similar to how early DOCSIS Cable modems worked with just an ethernet jack on the rear of the device and DHCP. Users can purchase an OpenWRT compatible device such as a Raspberry Pi (any model) or a GL-AR300M16 and then connect to the network. A network switch can be optionally used to connect multiple devices in parallel, or a router may be preferable in order to add NAT functionality and prevent local network services (such as DHCP) from "leaking" back out into the wider network.

How fast is it?

Total internal network capacity is 1Gbps (symmetric) due to limitations of the switches in operation. This speed may be raised or lowered depending on future federation with other members.

Current plans are to offer V.92 (56Kbps), DSL (1Mbps/256K) and T1 (1.5Mbps symmetric) services.

An optional donation tier may be added (either 10Mbps or 100Mbps) for users who want to financially support the network (costs of electricity, server upkeep and other factors)

Is this safe to use? I thought connecting old PC's to the internet was a bad idea!

Compu-Global-Hyper-Mega-Net is not accessible by the wider internet and is specifically designed to be a hermetically sealed network. Users can only connect via the above methods and can only communicate with other devices on the network. Users that violate the Terms of Service or attempt to abuse the network (or other members) will have their access permanently removed. With that said the usual rules about not downloading suspicious files and other "internet hygiene" rules still apply. While we don't expect bad actors to be a problem, please ensure that any files contributed to the network are scanned for malware first! VirusTotal provides free scanning services for this.

How can I help?

A lot of folks have offered to donate server hosting which is wonderful. Though not (yet!) required. The two biggest things we need are

Donations to buy infrastructure (Particularly hard disks!) there's an Amazon Wishlist here that will get updated over time. https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1W3S0E9IN7ZB7?ref_=wl_share

Volunteers who want to set up services. Once we've got the servers set up and running, well, we need stuff to run on them. Wanna make a 90's website or run a server for some old game you like? Get in touch via Mastodon, or via the Discord server