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ANetBBS v1.0 Beta Released
July 1, 2026
A Modern Open-Source BBS for Linux & Raspberry Pi ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════
Current Status
✔ Beta Release
✔ Open Source
✔ Actively Developed
✔ Looking for Feedback
For more than 30 years, bulletin board systems have survived
because they've always been about people and communities, not just software. ANetBBS is an open-source project built to preserve everything that made classic BBSes great while removing the barriers that make running one difficult today.
It brings together classic terminal access, modern web technologies, FTN networking, door games, and a simple installation experience into one cohesive platform.
Whether your users connect from a modern web browser, SyncTERM,
Telnet, SSH, or a Raspberry Pi, everyone shares the same message
boards, files, games, chat, and user database.
One installer configures Python, systemd services, nginx, firewall rules, optional Let's Encrypt SSL, and the web interface-so you can spend your time building a community instead of configuring a server.
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Highlights ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• Five ways to connect
Web
Telnet
SSH
rlogin
FTP (including optional FTPS)
• One shared user database
• One modern web administration panel
• Native Linux application
• Runs on x86-64 and Raspberry Pi (3B+)
• Completely open source ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Networking ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• Full FidoNet BinkP mailer
• Netmail with modern FTN support
(MSGID, REPLY, INTL, CHRS, TZUTC,
FMPT/TOPT, PID, per-user AKAs)
• AreaFix
• TIC file distribution and hatching
• DOVE-Net QWK networking
• ANotherNetwork (Zone 1200)
• MRC multi-relay chat
• MSP (RFC1312) InterBBS messaging
• Local message boards featuring:
Threading
Quote replies
Polls
ANSI banners
Sticky topics
Moderation
Search
Voting ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Doors & Games ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• LORD included
• TradeWars 2002
• DOS doors
(DOSBox-Staging, DOSBox-X, DOSBox)
• Synchronet JavaScript doors
• Mystic Pascal Script
• Mystic Python
• Native Linux doors
• DOOR.SYS
• DOOR32.SYS
• DORINFO.DEF
• Browser-playable:
DOOM
Duke Nukem 3D
• Included native projects
ANetCRAFT
ANetSIMS
ANetIRC
BotWars
Casino ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Terminal Experience ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• Proper CP437 rendering
• ANSI support
• Lightbar navigation
• Full-screen ANSI editor
• ANSI art viewer
• RSS reader
• SIXEL image support
• Classic BBS feel with modern capabilities ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Modern Web Features ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• Retro 80x25 ANSI web terminal
• Collaborative wiki
• RSS reader
• Image galleries
• Personal pages
• Scheduled events
• Theme builder
• NodeSpy
• Live service monitor
• BBS directory browser
• Finger server
• MSP diagnostics ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Files & Security ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
• FILE_ID.DIZ extraction
• README extraction
• DESCRIPT.ION support
• Archive scanning
• Optional ClamAV integration
• GeoIP blocking
• fail2ban support
• New User Verification
• Wiki permissions ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Installation ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
From a fresh Linux installation to a fully functional BBS in minutes:
tar xzf ANetBBS-v1.0beta.tar.gz
cd ANetBBS-v1.0beta
sudo bash install.sh ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Why ANetBBS?
I started ANetBBS because I wanted to preserve everything I love about the classic BBS experience while embracing modern Linux, web technologies, Raspberry Pi support, and open-source development.
ANetBBS was never intended to replace the incredible BBS software that already exists. Quite the opposite; it exists because of the amazing work that came before it.
I'm a long-time Synchronet sysop, and I have no intention of shutting my Synchronet BBS down. I continue to support and admire projects like Synchronet, Mystic, and the other BBS packages that have kept this hobby alive for decades. Without them, ANetBBS simply wouldn't exist.
My goal is to offer another option: one that's easy to install, easy to administer, and approachable for both first-time sysops and long-time BBS enthusiasts.
I don't want fewer BBSes, I want more.
More choices. More experimentation. More new sysops. More communities.
If ANetBBS inspires even one person to start their first BBS, or encourages a former sysop to dust off an old system and bring it back online, then I'll consider this project a success.
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Project ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
GitHub
https://github.com/anetonline/ANetBBS
Documentation
https://bbs.a-net.fyi/docs/
Live Demo
https://bbs.a-net.fyi
Telnet
bbs.a-net.fyi:2233
SSH
bbs.a-net.fyi:2234
Feedback, bug reports, feature requests, and pull requests
are always welcome. ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Special Thanks ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
ANetBBS would not be where it is today without the time,
patience, encouragement, and honest feedback from the people
who spent countless hours testing alpha builds, reporting bugs,
breaking things, and helping improve every release.
Special thanks to:
• xbit - X-BIT BBS
https://x-bit.org/info
• Firehawke - The SmallTime BBS
https://smalltimebbs.firehawke.net/
• Mickey - Mick's Remote ANetBBS Web
https://centralontarioremote.net
Your testing, ideas, bug reports, and willingness to experiment
with unfinished builds helped shape ANetBBS into what it is
today.
I'd also like to thank everyone else who downloaded the alpha
releases, submitted bug reports, suggested new features, or
simply took the time to try the project. Every piece of feedback
made this beta release better. ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────── ANetBBS is still actively evolving, and this beta is only the beginning. I'm excited to see where the community helps take it next. ───────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Looking for Testers ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
Whether you've been running a BBS since the 1980s or you're curious about starting your very first one, I'd love to hear your feedback.
Every bug report, feature request, suggestion, pull request, and even simple feedback helps make ANetBBS better.
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See you online. Thanks for keeping the BBS community alive.
StingRay / A-Net Online ═════════════════════════════════════════════════════════ submitted by /u/a-net-online_lol [link] [comments]