Telehack

What Telehack actually is

Telehack drops you at a shell prompt wired into a reconstructed ARPANET-era network of thousands of hosts, assembled from real historical records. Run period utilities, read archived text files, dial other machines and play the original text adventures.

Why it is worth your time

The host list is drawn from genuine 1980s network data, so the machines you connect to actually existed and had those names.

Common questions

Is Telehack free?

Yes. Telehack is free and does not ask you to register or hand over an email address before you can use it.

How long does Telehack take?

Clear your evening. We warned you. We file it under "Rabbit hole" — a simulated 1980s network you explore by typing.

Does Telehack work on a phone?

Telehack really wants a mouse and a wide window. It will load on a phone, but the experience is built for desktop.

What kind of site is Telehack?

We list it under Pixel Nostalgia — old software, running again, in a tab. The host list is drawn from genuine 1980s network data, so the machines you connect to actually existed and had those names.