American Photonics
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Networking hardware |
| Founded | 1982 |
| Founder | James Walyus |
| Defunct | January 1988 |
| Fate | Filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquidated assets |
| Headquarters | Brewster, New York (original), later Brookfield Center, Connecticut , United States |
| Products | Ethernet transceivers (RL1000 series), Ethernet repeaters (RL6000), Modular Ethernet hubs (RL8000), fiber optic RS-232 converters, RS-232-to-T1 TDMs, wavelength-division multiplexers, fiber optic power meter, 64Net hub (unreleased) |
American Photonics, Inc. (API) emerged as an early innovator in local area network technology during the 1980s. The company was originally located in Brewster, New York before moving its operations to Brookfield Center, Connecticut.
History
Established in 1982 by James Walyus (1938–2000) while he was working at Exxon Optical Information Systems, API focused on creating commercially practical optical communication solutions aimed at broad market applications.
API collaborated with Interlan, a pioneering Ethernet firm that was subsequently acquired by Micom and Racal Electronics PLC. Together, they developed a fiber optic extension for Interlan’s 10BASE5 Ethernet transceivers and network interface cards (NICs), effectively addressing the distance limitations imposed by the 15-pin Attachment Unit Interface cable.
Leveraging this foundation, API introduced the RL1000 series of 10BASE5 Ethernet transceivers. Designed with inspiration from the durable 3Com 3C107 and enhanced with indicator lights akin to the Cabletron Systems ST500, the RL1000 achieved considerable acceptance in the marketplace.
In addition, API manufactured the RL6000 Ethernet Repeater, which directly challenged the Digital Equipment Corporation DEREP-AA. Featuring a modular architecture compatible with fiber, Thinnet, and AUI cables, the RL6000 occupied less than half the physical space of its rival. This design advantage helped API exceed DEC’s sales figures in 1984—an impressive accomplishment for a startup enterprise.
Among API’s later Ethernet offerings was the RL8000 Modular Ethernet Hub, released alongside Cabletron’s MMAC-8 and Astra Communications’ (later SynOptics) LattisNet concentrator. The RL8000 featured network management capabilities and modular AUI and fiber optic interfaces. It also incorporated RL3000 fiber-to-AUI adapters and secured its inaugural customer deployment in 1986.
Despite securing $6 million in funding from investors such as Welsh, Carson, Anderson & Stowe and Mura Corp. through four financing rounds, API encountered difficulties with distribution channels and lacked sufficient capital for expansion. The company was further affected by the 1987 stock market collapse (Black Monday). Leadership changes took place late in 1987; however, API ceased operations in January 1988, filing for Chapter 7 bankruptcy and liquidating its assets mid-year. Siecor Electro-Optic Products acquired the rights to the RL6000 design but did not succeed in mass production.
Although often overlooked today, API played a meaningful role in advancing Ethernet technology during the early to mid-1980s. Beyond Ethernet devices, API provided fiber optic RS-232 converters and RS-232-to-T1 time-division multiplexers (TDMs) on an OEM basis to Fibermux Corp. (which later became part of ADC Telecommunications) and developed early wavelength-division multiplexers (WDMs) operating at 850/1310 nm wavelengths. The company also designed a fiber optic power meter licensed from McDonnell Aircraft Corp. Additionally, API created 64Net, an early local networking hub intended for the Commodore 64, though this product never reached commercial release.