UCLA's Leonard Kleinrock displays Internet's first router

Summary

The video script narrates the history of the first Internet equipment, a packet switch, which later became known as a router. This massive device, the size of a telephone booth, was a Honeywell DDP 5:16 minicomputer modified by BBN for the ARPANET project. It was delivered in 1969 and operated at a speed of 50 kilobits per second. Despite its bulky size and outdated appearance, it laid the foundation for modern routers. The script also discusses the machine's preservation at UCLA and the debate over its future display.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The first Internet equipment was a packet switch, now known as a router.
• 🏭 It was the size of a telephone booth and built to military standards.
• 💻 The machine was based on the Honeywell DDP-516 minicomputer.
• 🛠 BBN (Bolt, Beranek and Newman) modified the hardware and software to create the packet switch.
• 📅 It was delivered on Labor Day weekend in 1969.
• 🔢 IMP (Interface Message Processor) number one was installed at UCLA.
• 📡 The machine had a dial-up feature to check and modify internal registers.
• 📞 It featured a telephone connection derived from data lines.
• 🚀 The initial speed of the UCLA to SRI link was 50 kilobits per second.
• 📈 The technology has since evolved to high-speed routers with more functionality and storage.
• 🏛️ The original router was almost discarded but was saved and is now kept at UCLA.
• 🏛️ There was a dispute over its ownership between the Smithsonian, the Computer History Museum, and UCLA.

Q & A

What was the first piece of Internet equipment called?

The first piece of Internet equipment was called a 'packet switch', which is now known as a 'router'.

What was the size of the first packet switch/router?

The size of the first packet switch/router was the size of a telephone booth.

What type of computer was used to create the first packet switch/router?

The first packet switch/router was made out of a Honeywell DDP-516, which was a modern minicomputer at the time.

Which company was responsible for implementing the first network?

BBN, which stands for Bolt, Beranek and Newman, was the company that got the contract to implement the network.

When was the first packet switch/router delivered to UCLA?

The first packet switch/router was delivered to UCLA on the Labor Day weekend in 1969.

What does 'IMP number one' refer to in the context of the script?

IMP stands for Interface Message Processor, and 'IMP number one' refers to the first Interface Message Processor installed at UCLA.

What was the speed of the first link between UCLA and SRI?

The speed of the first link between UCLA and SRI was a blazing 50 kilobits per second.

How does the speed of the first link compare to modern internet speeds?

The speed of the first link at 50 kilobits per second is equivalent to the lowest-level DSL speeds available today, and much slower than even the lowest-level dial-up modem speeds of 2 kilobits per second.

What was the original speed of the Trio that came out 35 years later?

The original speed of the Trio that came out 35 years later was the same as the first link's speed, which was 50 kilobits per second.

What was the purpose of the telephone connection between Charlie Klein and the program up north?

The telephone connection was used to derive a telephone connection out of the data lines, allowing for remote interaction with the machine.

Why was the first router not initially accepted by the Smithsonian?

The Smithsonian did not initially accept the first router in 1989 because that was before the web occurred, and its historical significance was not yet recognized.

What is the current status of the first router mentioned in the script?

The first router is currently kept in a small office next to the speaker's office, and there are plans to put it in a showcase at the entrance of one of the newer engineering buildings at UCLA.