# Simtel

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Software archive

Simtel Type of business company Type of site hosting service Founded 1979 Dissolved 2013 Founder Keith Petersen Industry Internet

**Simtel** (sometimes called **Simtelnet**, originally **SIMTEL20**) was an important long-running archive of [freeware](/source/Freeware) and [shareware](/source/Shareware) for various operating systems.

The Simtel archive had significant ties to the history of several operating systems: it was in turn a major repository for [CP/M](/source/CP%2FM), [MS-DOS](/source/MS-DOS), [Microsoft Windows](/source/Microsoft_Windows) and [FreeBSD](/source/FreeBSD). The archive was hosted initially on the MIT-MC [PDP-10](/source/PDP-10) running the [Incompatible Timesharing System](/source/Incompatible_Timesharing_System),[1] then [TOPS-20](/source/TOPS-20), then FreeBSD servers, with archive distributor [Walnut Creek CDROM](/source/Walnut_Creek_CDROM) helping fund FreeBSD development.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] It began as an early mailing list, then was hosted on the [ARPANET](/source/ARPANET), and finally the fully open [Internet](/source/Internet).

The service was shut down on March 15, 2013.[2]

## History

Simtel originated as SIMTEL20, a software archive started by Keith Petersen in 1979 while living in [Royal Oak, Michigan](/source/Royal_Oak%2C_Michigan). The original archive consisted of [CP/M](/source/CP%2FM) software for early [8080](/source/Intel_8080)-based [microcomputers](/source/Microcomputer). The software was hosted on a [PDP-10](/source/PDP-10) at [MIT](/source/Massachusetts_Institute_of_Technology) that also ran a CP/M mailing list to which Petersen subscribed.

When access to the particular MIT computer was removed in 1983, fellow CP/M enthusiast Frank Wancho, then an employee at the [White Sands Missile Range](/source/White_Sands_Missile_Range), arranged for the archive to be hosted on a [DECSYSTEM-20](/source/DECSYSTEM-20) computer with [ARPANET](/source/ARPANET) access, accessible via FTP at simtel20.arpa, later known as wsmr-simtel20.army.mil,[3] and [wuarchive.wustl.edu](https://web.archive.org/web/19961022174809/http://wuarchive.wustl.edu/)[4] At this time, Simtel began archiving MS-DOS software in addition to its archive of CP/M software. Over time, the SIMTEL20 archive added software for other operating systems, user groups and various [programming languages](/source/Programming_language), including the [Ada](/source/Ada_(programming_language)) Software Repository, the CP/M User's Group, PC/Blue, SIG/M(icros), and the [Unix](/source/Unix)/[C](/source/C_(programming_language)) collections.[3] In 1991, [Walnut Creek CDROM](/source/Walnut_Creek_CDROM) was founded by Robert A. Bruce, which helped distribute the Simtel archive on CD-ROM discs for those not wishing, or unable,[5] to access the archive online.[6]

In 1993, the SIMTEL20 archive at White Sands Missile Range was shut down due to budget constraints.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] From 1993 on, the Walnut Creek CDROM [FTP](/source/File_Transfer_Protocol) server and (later on) Web site[7] became the focal point for online Simtel access. For much of its life the Web site and primary mirrors were located at [www.cdrom.com](https://web.archive.org/web/19961221082532/http://www.cdrom.com/), [www.simtel.net](https://web.archive.org/web/19961223125557/http://www.simtel.net/), and [oak.oakland.edu](https://web.archive.org/web/19961019011231/http://oak.oakland.edu/) at [Oakland University](/source/Oakland_University).

In July 1998, the Simtel FTP server set a record for overall traffic with a total transfer amount of 417 GB of data in one day.[8][9] In May 1999, the Simtel FTP server surpassed its own record by transferring, in one day, a total of 873 GB.[10] In the same year it served 10,000 clients at a time, showing that the [C10k problem](/source/C10k_problem) was tractable on contemporary systems.[11]

Due to a mirror licensing dispute situation with Coast to Coast Telecommunications in 1995 (now Allegiance Telecom, part of [XO Communications](/source/XO_Communications)), archive maintainer Keith Petersen left his employment with CCT and moved on to Walnut Creek CDROM.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*]

In October 1999, [Digital River](/source/Digital_River) purchased Simtel from Walnut Creek CDROM for US$1.0 million and 143,885 shares of common stock.[12] Mr. Petersen contracted with Digital River, along with small business owner and son Kurt Petersen of Petersen Business Management, to manage the Simtel collections and continued to do so until January 15, 2001.[13] The service was shut down on March 15, 2013.[2] Some mirrors may still be available.[14]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** ["New Service Available!"](https://groups.google.com/g/net.micro.cpm/c/rZz-dStwbh0/m/8CrsRwUQgQsJ). Usenet. September 4, 1983.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-simtel_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-simtel_2-1) ["Simtel Web Site"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130305051448/http://www.simtel.net/). Digital River. Archived from [the original](http://www.simtel.net/) on March 5, 2013.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CNI_3-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CNI_3-1) ["THE STORY OF SIMTEL20"](https://www.cni.org/resources/historical-resources/farnet-stories-project/geographical-index/story149-nm). [Coalition for Networked Information](/source/Coalition_for_Networked_Information). August 22, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-bionet/002771_4-0)** ["FTP info regarding SIMTEL20"](http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/bio-software/1991-November/002771.html). *[bio.net](/source/Bio.net)*. Retrieved July 23, 2025. BIOSCI/Bionet is a set of electronic communication forums - the bionet USENET newsgroups and parallel e-mail lists - used by biological scientists worldwide.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Internet access was largely at 9,600 bit/s [V.32](/source/ITU-T_V.32) speeds, in effect restricted to academia, military and large corporations at this time

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["BSD SUPPLIERS UNITE TO DELIVER THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR INTERNET OPERATING SYSTEMS"](https://www.freebsd.org/news/press-rel-4.html). [FreeBSD](/source/FreeBSD). March 9, 2000. Retrieved May 18, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [https://web.archive.org/web/20000205023418/http://www.wccdrom.com/](https://web.archive.org/web/20000205023418/http://www.wccdrom.com/)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["CRL Network Services Carries the Traffic of the Record Breaking Walnut Creek CDROM FTP Site"](https://web.archive.org/web/19990502042728/http://www9.crl.com/wccdromrcd.html). [Charles River Laboratories](/source/Charles_River_Laboratories). July 30, 1998. Archived from [the original](http://www9.crl.com/wccdromrcd.html) on May 2, 1999.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["FreeBSD News"](https://web.archive.org/web/20080919065424/http://ezine.daemonnews.org/199809/news.html). Archived from [the original](http://ezine.daemonnews.org/199809/news.html) on September 19, 2008.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["INTERNET'S BUSIEST SOFTWARE ARCHIVE REACHES NEW DOWNLOAD MILESTONE"](https://web.archive.org/web/20010417082948/http://www.wccdrom.com/press/wcarchive_milestone.phtml). *wccdrom.com*. May 26, 1999. Archived from [the original](http://www.wccdrom.com/press/wcarchive_milestone.phtml) on April 17, 2001.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-C10K_11-0)** Dan Kegel (1999). ["The C10K problem"](http://www.kegel.com/c10k.html). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20200512075129/http://www.kegel.com/c10k.html) from the original on May 12, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** S. Housley (November 2004). ["Digital River Purchase Prices"](http://www.softwaremarketingresource.com/article47.html). *softwaremarketingresource.com*. Retrieved May 18, 2020.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** ["Petersen contract terminated by Digital River"](https://www.petersen.net/petersencontract.html). December 18, 2006. Retrieved May 18, 2020. On January 15, 2001, Digital River, Inc. [...] terminated its contract with Petersen Data Management [...], due to lack of funding.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** - [FTP mirror ftp.forthnet.gr](https://web.archive.org/web/20070102134005/http://ftp.forthnet.gr:80/pub/simtelnet/) - [FTP mirror ftp.icm.edu.pl](https://ftp.icm.edu.pl/pub/simtelnet/) - [FTP mirror ftp.oldskool.org](https://ftp.oldskool.org/pub/simtelnet/) - [ftp.sunet.se](http://ftp.sunet.se/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet.se/pub/simtelnet/) - [Simtel 20 MS-DOS Archive CD-ROM : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/SIMTEL_0692) - [Simtel 20 MSDOS Archive CD-ROM Sept 1992 : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/Simtel20_Sept92) - [The Walnut Creek CD-ROM Collection](https://archive.org/details/walnutcreekcdrom) - [Search results simtel MS-DOS](https://archive.org/search.php?query=simtel%20ms-dos) - [Index of /mirror/archive/ftp.sunet.se](https://ftp.sunet.se/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet.se/) - [The Simtel.Net MS-DOS Collection Contents](https://web.archive.org/web/20180510072350/https://www.lanet.lv/simtel.net/msdos/index-msdos.html) - [Index of /cpm/cdrom/SIMTEL](https://web.archive.org/web/20181006054241/https://www.retroarchive.org/cpm/cdrom/SIMTEL/) - [Index of /pub/simtelnet](https://web.archive.org/web/20190319015401/http://www.nic.funet.fi/pub/simtelnet/) - [Index of /mirror/archive/ftp.sunet.se](https://web.archive.org/web/20191009150426/https://ftp.gnome.org/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet.se/)

## External links

- ["Free Download of Computer Software, Games, Tools and Utilities - Freeware, Shareware, Demos and Trial Versions - Simtel.net"](https://web.archive.org/web/20130315145600/http://www.simtel.net/). Archived from [the original](http://www.simtel.net/) on March 15, 2013.

- [Simtel download (10 Gigabyte) at the Internet Archive](https://archive.org/details/simtelnet_bu_mirror_2013_04)

- [Original mirror that is still online](https://ftp.sunet.se/mirror/archive/ftp.sunet.se/pub/simtelnet/)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Simtel](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simtel) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simtel?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.