geerlingguy

geerlingguy / pi-isp

Public

Raspberry Pi old-school dial-up ISP for retro computing.

46
2
100% credibility
Found Apr 05, 2026 at 46 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
Jinja
AI Summary

This repository provides instructions and automation to turn a Raspberry Pi into a dial-up ISP emulator, allowing retro computers to connect to the internet via a simulated phone line and modem.

How It Works

1
🔍 Dream of retro internet

You hear about a fun way to connect your old computer to the web like it's the 90s using a tiny Raspberry Pi.

2
🛒 Gather your gear

Pick up a Raspberry Pi, a USB dial-up modem, and a line simulator to mimic an old phone line.

3
🔌 Hook it all up

Plug the modem into the Pi and connect the phone lines between the simulator, Pi, and your vintage computer.

4
⚙️ Prepare the Pi

Follow easy steps on your regular computer to set up the Pi so it's ready to act like an internet gateway.

5
📞 Dial up from the past

On your old computer, enter a simple phone number, username, and password to call the Pi.

6
🌐 Hear the magic handshake

Listen to the classic modem sounds as your retro machine connects to the modern internet through the Pi.

🎉 Surf like it's 1999

Browse websites on your vintage computer, with a helper that makes modern pages work on old browsers, feeling the nostalgia rush in.

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Star Growth

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AI-Generated Review

What is pi-isp?

Pi-isp turns a Raspberry Pi 3, 4, or 5 into a dial-up ISP emulator for retro computers, letting you connect vintage hardware like a Mac iBook G3 to the modern internet via a USB 56K modem and line simulator. Run a single Ansible playbook on github raspberry pi os or linux, plug in the hardware, and your old machine dials in with username "dial" and password "dialpi" over PPP for real modem handshakes up to 33.6Kbps. It solves the pain of isolating retro rigs from today's networks while enabling web access through an optional HTTP proxy.

Why is it gaining traction?

This github raspberry pi project stands out for its dead-simple Ansible setup—no PBX complexity, just one-line deployment on raspberry pi 5 or older models—paired with reliable new hardware recommendations like StarTech modems. The built-in Macproxy Classic strips modern web cruft for old browsers, plus Wayback Machine integration for 1999-style surfing, hooking retro enthusiasts tired of emulators. Among github raspberry pi projects, its focus on authentic dial-up sounds and monitoring tools like journalctl for mgetty logs gives that old-school raspberry isp thrill without endless tinkering.

Who should use this?

Retro computing collectors reviving Mac OS 9 or Windows 95 machines for real internet. Makers running github raspberry pi linux demos or ispy raspberry pi 3/5 exhibits at meetups. Hardware tinkerers wanting a quick Pi ISP for testing vintage modems, not full telecom sims.

Verdict

Solid niche play for retro Pi projects if you have the $200 hardware; Ansible docs and example configs make setup straightforward despite 46 stars and 1.0% credibility score signaling early maturity. Skip if you need production stability—great for hobbyists, but test connections thoroughly. (198 words)

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