Sytek
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Computer networking |
| Predecessor | Hughes LAN Systems, Inc. |
| Founded | 1979 |
| Defunct | 1996 |
| Fate | Merged and rebranded as Whittaker Communications, Inc. in 1995 |
| Headquarters | Mountain View, California , United States |
| Products | NetBIOS API, T-Boxes, LAN adapter cards |
Sytek, Inc. began as Hughes LAN Systems, Inc. (HLS) following its acquisition by Hughes Electronics and was subsequently rebranded as Whittaker Communications, Inc. (WCI) in 1995. The company was responsible for creating the NetBIOS API, which Microsoft utilized in its early networking solutions.
Established in Silicon Valley with its headquarters located in Mountain View, California, Sytek was instrumental during the early development of LAN technologies. During this period, IBM was divided regarding LAN design strategies: one group advocated for a centralized hub with distributed twisted pair wiring, while another supported a distributed bus topology.
Leveraging advancements from predecessors such as Intech Labs, Sytek engineered an RF transceiver that operated within cable television frequency bands—receiving signals in the High VHF range and transmitting in the Low VHF spectrum. This design allowed for multiple virtual circuits through frequency-division multiplexing (FDM). To enhance performance, Sytek introduced an algorithm inspired by CSMA/CD, predating the formal IEEE standards.
The company's hardware, known as T-Boxes, incorporated an EIA RS-232 serial interface capable of data transfer rates up to 19.2 kbit/s—a notable speed in 1982. Addressing the need for PC-to-PC and PC-to-mainframe connectivity, IBM commissioned Sytek to manufacture LAN adapter cards based on Sytek’s FDM/TDM technology for IBM PCs. These network interface cards were sold at approximately $700 each.
IBM considered personal computers as key drivers for mainframe sales and favored Sytek’s LAN technology over the dedicated RG-62 coaxial cabling traditionally used with 327X terminals. Despite this, by the mid-1980s IBM shifted its emphasis towards Token Ring, while the broader market largely embraced Ethernet technology.
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- Articles with short description
- 1979 establishments in California
- 1995 mergers and acquisitions
- 1996 disestablishments in California
- 1996 mergers and acquisitions
- American companies established in 1979
- American companies disestablished in 1996
- Computer companies established in 1979
- Computer companies disestablished in 1996
- Defunct computer companies of the United States
- Defunct computer hardware companies
- Defunct software companies of the United States
- Software companies established in 1979
- Software companies disestablished in 1996