Bridge Communications
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer networking |
| Founded | June 1, 1981 in Mountain View, California, U.S. |
| Founder | Judy Estrin, Bill Carrico |
| Defunct | September 30, 1987 |
| Fate | Acquired by 3Com |
| Headquarters | Mountain View , United States |
| Products | Network bridges, routers, communications servers |
Bridge Communications, Inc. was a U.S.-based technology firm established in 1981 by Judy Estrin and Bill Carrico in Mountain View, California. The company specialized in creating computer network bridges, routers, and communications servers, focusing on connecting diverse network architectures. According to Estrin, Bridge Communications was responsible for delivering the first commercially available router.
History
In June 1981, Estrin and Carrico founded Bridge Communications after departing from Zilog to address the increasing need for equipment that linked computers operating on different network protocols. The enterprise attracted prominent engineers who contributed to the advancement of bridging and multi-protocol routing technologies.
Acquisition by 3Com
On September 30, 1987, Bridge Communications became part of 3Com through acquisition. This integration allowed 3Com to merge Bridge’s expertise in multi-protocol networking with its existing Ethernet product line, thereby enhancing its range of solutions for both local and wide-area networks.
Products
Bridge Communications produced networking hardware compatible with various protocols:
- Network Bridges and Routers: Equipment supporting TCP/IP, DECnet, XNS, and IBM’s Systems Network Architecture (SNA), facilitating connectivity among heterogeneous systems.
- Communications Servers: Terminal servers designed to provide multiple users with access to centralized computing resources over different network environments.
These offerings helped organizations consolidate disparate networks during a period dominated by proprietary standards that hindered interoperability.
Legacy
The company is acknowledged as a trailblazer in the development of multi-protocol routers. Co-founder Judy Estrin highlighted that Bridge Communications shipped some of the earliest commercial routers, anticipating the widespread adoption of open-standard Internet Protocol (IP). Following the acquisition, Bridge’s innovations and team were absorbed into 3Com, which subsequently expanded its portfolio of networking products.