WiFi232 Wireless Modem: BBS Fun on Retro PCs!

Ever wanted an easy way to get classic computers onto a Telnet BBS using a wi-fi network? This board by Paul Rickards lets you do just that on a wide variety of vintage machines! It's like stepping back in time, man.

● Here's the website for the modem:

● Check out the Telnet BBS Guide:

● Consider supporting LGR on Patreon:

● Social links:

● Music used in order of appearance:
Whiskey On The Rocks 1, Things That Matter 3

[LGR]

Small technical correction:
I mixed up baud rate and bit rate a time or two. Like when I said I set it up using 1200 baud, I meant 1200 bit/s!

[marco_evertus]

The production quality on LRG's videos are through the roof!

[galahadiv]

My video buffered at "This slowness leads to an exciting feeling of anticipation"

Oh the irony

[SHBazTBone]

I absolutely love how EVERY video something pops up that gives me great joy and nostalgia. Today's entry - L.O.R.D. and Trade Wars. I spent HOURS (and making a lot of names/accounts) playing those growing up.

[Blackadder]

When I was 11 in the eighties I went onto a bbs, mostly to search for solutions to Sierra adventure games or copy protection cracks. You often had to upload stuff to get download rights, but as a kid I obviously had little to offer. So i downloaded my 5 free files and then tried to make a new username to try again. That moment when suddenly the computer was TYPING BACK to me ON ITS OWN! (a sysop that caught me and wanted to have a chat) was both very scary and the most awesome thing I expierienced with computers. I then would went on to go study computer sciences in the nineties, arriving just in time for the first web browsers

[Cerealbox]

Wow, I guess I must have just missed "BBS door games." Fascinating topic.

[AhmetArat]

That is truly a wonderful piece of technology that will let us relive those days. I truly enjoyed this video and by seeing this wifi board, makes me wanna assemble an old pc from scratch and make it work again. Man, I love to see this at home, amaaazzing. Shut up and take my money.

[goeiecool]

The ESP8266 is probably more powerful than some of the machines you connect this adapter to. lol

[superjch]

Oh.. man this device is exactly what I wanted for a long time.
I was even thinking about playing with two old computers connecting each others to simulate some sort of BBS ..
Thank you for the review and I will look forward to see more great reviews!

[Nikku]

Nice retrofuturistic technology. I like 90s-esque technology that uses today's conveniences in a way not detracting from the decade's charm.

[kneehighspy]

great video! i miss the old bbs days of the late 70's and early 80's. there was nothing like dialing up a 110 baud bbs on my apple II in the originate mode, waiting for the bbs to 'answer' so i could manually switch to answer mode also.

[darkstarnh]

I was a Fidonet BBS sysop in the 80s and early 90s. Happy days.

[xportz]

For those that are still looking for one of these, check out the WiModem232.  You can even get one with an optional OLED screen, and has files to 3D print a case. Even has hardware flow control.

[RockstarBruski]

cool device!!! When I was 16 years old I ran a BBS in the 80s called "Gummy Bears Hideout" on an Atari 800 computer. I learned how to program in basic so I could customize my BBS and hook up an external CPM computer with a 5MB hard drive that stored my thousands of games for download. Sigh. Those were good times! 😎

[souperman]

All LGR needs is sunglasses and a trench coat to become the greatest 80's computer hacker.

[hrnekbezucha]

We kinda went full circle. From BBSes only used by few people as a hobby to large-ish businesses making a fortune to the internet and now, only few people as a hobby again.
I've heard there are free dial-up providers out there now. May be worth checking out!

[FyberOptic]

BBSes are a significant memory for me from the 90s. Especially playing LORD. Seth Able was my first developer idol, and his success story always inspired me.

[flmalegre]

A BBS episode coming up? Aw yes GET HYPE.

[twooey]

I found LORD at an old office job. Telnet wasn't blocked for some crazy reason. good times.

[HopeOrDoom]

I'm not a computer guy, but your descriptions of things are so interesting that despite the fact that I have no idea what much of the stuff you mention is that I'll keep watching, and learning about things!