London Internet Exchange
A neutral, member-owned internet exchange operator that enables networks to exchange traffic directly through shared peering infrastructure.
Last updated August 22, 2026
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Overview
The London Internet Exchange, commonly known as LINX, is a neutral internet exchange point operator based in the United Kingdom. It provides the physical and technical infrastructure through which internet service providers, telecommunications operators, cloud and content networks, hosting companies, academic networks, and other autonomous systems exchange traffic directly. Direct interconnection reduces the need to send domestic or regional traffic through distant transit providers, improving latency, resilience, routing control, and often cost efficiency. LINX began in London in November 1994 when UK internet providers sought to avoid the expense and delay of routing traffic across the Atlantic to exchanges in the United States. The earliest connection was a modest 64-kilobit serial link between PIPEX and UK Net. Interest from Demon Internet, UKERNA and other networks led to the development of a shared London exchange. PIPEX supplied an eight-port Cisco switch and helped arrange rack space at a Telehouse facility in London's Docklands. The initial network was created pragmatically by engineers before formal legal arrangements were completed; the organization was incorporated as a company limited by guarantee in 1995. LINX has retained a cooperative and non-profit orientation. Members sign an agreement to participate, collectively own the organization, and receive a vote at general meetings. Members elect a non-executive board and participate in discussions concerning finance, governance, technical direction, public policy, and the scope of LINX's activities. The organization's stated operating principle is to provide shared infrastructure for members rather than compete directly with them. Its principal activity is public peering: members connect to shared switching fabrics and establish routing sessions with other participants. LINX also offers private interconnection services, remote access arrangements through the LINX from Anywhere program, connection and reseller services, and technical training. Its London infrastructure has used multiple physically separate switching platforms, geographically distributed points of presence, and high-capacity fiber links. Redundant architectures and rapid-failover mechanisms are intended to preserve service when a network segment or facility becomes unavailable. Although its name reflects its London origins, LINX expanded beyond the capital. It opened exchanges in Manchester, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Virginia in the United States. The organization is also associated with the wider internet-exchange community as a founding member of Euro-IX. By the 2020s, LINX reported peering relationships involving more than 950 autonomous systems and recorded a UK traffic peak of 6.05 terabits per second in 2021. LINX has also maintained a public-affairs role. It represents member interests in debates involving telecommunications regulation, online content rules, privacy, data protection, law enforcement, spam, fraud, and cybersecurity. It helped support the creation of the Internet Watch Foundation and has continued to engage with organizations such as the Internet Society and European internet-service-provider associations. This policy role has occasionally placed LINX at the center of disagreements about surveillance, confidentiality, and the balance between legal obligations and member governance. In 2022, the organization joined other technology and network groups in isolating Russian services from its networks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
History
LINX emerged from the practical networking problems faced by Britain's early commercial and academic internet providers. In 1994, sending traffic between UK networks through American internet exchanges created unnecessary transatlantic bandwidth charges and added delay. PIPEX and UK Net initially addressed the problem with a 64-kilobit serial connection. As Demon Internet, UKERNA and other operators expressed interest, engineers began discussing a more durable London exchange with BT and other infrastructure providers. PIPEX supplied a Cisco Catalyst 1200 switch with eight 10-megabit ports, while Telehouse provided rack space at its Docklands facility. The first traffic passed through the site before formal contracts and a detailed corporate framework were in place. As participation increased, members recognized the need for a constitution and a legally defined organization. LINX was incorporated in 1995 as a company limited by guarantee, with a five-person non-executive board and Keith Mitchell as its first chairman. From the outset, members agreed that the exchange should operate on a non-profit basis for their collective benefit. The organization soon became a test bed for high-capacity exchange technology. In 1996 it deployed what was described as the world's first 100-megabit internet-exchange switch. In 1999, it introduced a metropolitan-area network using gigabit Ethernet. As the internet became commercially and politically more important, LINX expanded beyond switching traffic. It appointed a regulation officer in 1999 to advise members and public bodies on issues including telecommunications, law enforcement, online content, and technology policy. It also supported the Internet Watch Foundation, whose development was assisted by early LINX funding and member discussions. A major organizational change occurred in 2001, when the chairman role became non-executive and LINX appointed John Souter as its first chief executive officer. The exchange continued to increase capacity, becoming an early adopter of 10-gigabit Ethernet in 2002. In 2003, LINX introduced LINX from Anywhere, enabling smaller or remotely located networks to obtain a virtual presence through existing members and service providers rather than installing equipment at a London point of presence. The service broadened access while preserving the core exchange model. During the 2000s, LINX added points of presence across London's Docklands and later diversified into the City of London, North Acton, and Slough. Relationships with multiple data-center operators reduced dependence on a single facility and strengthened geographic resilience. Membership reached 200 in 2006. In 2005, members also elevated public affairs to a core organizational function, reflecting the growing impact of regulatory decisions on network operators. The 2010s brought both technical modernization and geographic expansion. LINX redesigned its primary London LAN around a VPLS architecture in 2011. In 2012, it launched the Connection reseller program, opened IX Manchester, and became an early live-network user of Juniper's PTX5000. IX Scotland in Edinburgh and LINX NoVA in Northern Virginia followed in 2013, while the Welsh exchange opened in Cardiff in 2014. These facilities extended LINX's model beyond London and, in the case of NoVA, established a US presence aligned with the Open-IX community. Infrastructure work continued through the decade. LINX introduced new switching equipment and restructured its LON2 secondary LAN, including hardware from EdgeCore Networks and later a multi-vendor design. Its London network developed into a collection of distributed sites linked by high-capacity fiber, with separate switching platforms using equipment from vendors including Extreme Networks and Juniper Networks. Protection mechanisms such as VPLS over an MPLS core and Ethernet Automatic Protection System technology were used to restore connectivity rapidly after failures. Governance and public policy became particularly contentious in 2017. Following the UK's Investigatory Powers Act, LINX proposed constitutional language that critics interpreted as preventing directors from informing members about the installation of surveillance equipment. Many members, including non-UK operators concerned about mass-surveillance obligations, objected. LINX disputed aspects of that interpretation, but the debate exposed tensions between statutory requirements, member transparency, and the exchange's cooperative governance model. A hastily convened extraordinary general meeting produced majority support among attendees, but the proposal failed because attendance was insufficient under the applicable rules. LINX entered the 2020s as a large international exchange operator while retaining its mutual, member-governed identity. It reported a UK traffic peak of 6.05 terabits per second in 2021. In 2022, following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, LINX disconnected Russian services from its networks as part of a broader industry response. Its continuing work combines public peering, private interconnection, remote access, network engineering support, and policy representation for participating autonomous systems.
- 2022
Russian services disconnected
[1]LINX disconnected Russian services from its networks following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
- 2021
Record UK traffic reported
[1]LINX reported a UK traffic peak of 6.05 terabits per second.
- 2014
Welsh exchange opened
[1]An exchange opened in Cardiff to support more decentralized UK traffic flows.
- 2013
Expansion to Scotland and North America
[1]LINX launched exchanges in Edinburgh and Northern Virginia, extending its network beyond England.
- 2012
Manchester exchange opened
[1]LINX opened its first exchange outside London in Manchester and launched its Connection reseller program.
- 2003
LINX from Anywhere launched
[1]The remote-access service allowed smaller networks to connect virtually through existing members and carriers.
- 2002
10-gigabit Ethernet introduced
[1]LINX became an early internet exchange adopter of 10G Ethernet technology.
- 2001
First chief executive appointed
[1]The chairman position became non-executive and John Souter became LINX's first chief executive officer.
- 1999
Gigabit metropolitan network and regulation function
[1]LINX pioneered a gigabit Ethernet metropolitan-area network and appointed its first full-time regulation officer.
- 1996
100-megabit switching deployment
[1]LINX deployed a 100-megabit switch, an early capacity milestone for internet exchanges.
Products and positioning
A neutral, resilient, member-governed internet interconnection platform operated for the benefit of participating networks.
Internet exchange point · 1994
LINX London
LINX's original and largest exchange environment, spread across multiple London data centers. It provides shared switching fabrics for public peering, with physically separate platforms, high-capacity fiber interconnects, and redundant designs intended to improve resilience and reduce dependence on any single facility or carrier.
Regional internet exchange · 2012
LINX Manchester
Originally launched as IX Manchester, this regional exchange extends LINX's peering model into northwest England. Its design uses multiple sites connected in a protected ring and supports high-capacity member links, allowing regional traffic to be exchanged closer to participating networks.
Regional internet exchange · 2013
LINX Scotland
Originally known as IX Scotland, the Edinburgh exchange provides a Scottish location for network interconnection and supports LINX's objective of decentralizing UK traffic. It was introduced with modern switching equipment and is hosted in a data-center environment in South Gyle.
Regional internet exchange · 2014
LINX Wales
The Cardiff exchange, initially called IX Cardiff, provides peering infrastructure in Wales. Its launch was intended to keep more traffic within regional networks and reduce unnecessary dependence on London-based routes.
Internet exchange point · 2013
LINX NoVA
LINX NoVA is the organization's Northern Virginia and Washington, DC-area exchange. It was designed as an open peering platform across several data centers, using diverse fiber connections and high-capacity Juniper equipment, and was developed in alignment with the Open-IX ecosystem.
Remote connection service · 2003
LINX from Anywhere
LINX from Anywhere enables a network to obtain a virtual presence on the exchange through an existing member, layer-2 provider, or MPLS carrier. It lowers the need for smaller organizations to install equipment and maintain rack space at a London point of presence.
Network interconnection
Private Interconnection
LINX provides managed private interconnection circuits, commonly using single-mode fiber and partner carrier networks. These links support private peering or other direct traffic arrangements when two members need dedicated capacity or greater control over large traffic flows.
Controversies
2017
Constitutional dispute over surveillance confidentiality
After the UK's Investigatory Powers Act, LINX proposed constitutional changes that opponents believed could prevent directors from telling members about surveillance equipment installed on the network. The proposal generated significant disagreement among members, particularly operators concerned about mass-surveillance obligations. Although attendees voted in favor, the extraordinary general meeting lacked sufficient participation for the amendment to pass.
Marketing campaigns
- 2005Public affairs as a core function
United Kingdom · Europe
LINX members formalized public-policy representation as a core organizational activity alongside peering and interconnection.
Outcome. LINX expanded its structured engagement with regulators, legislators, and industry bodies on issues affecting network operators.
- 1996Support for the Internet Watch Foundation
United Kingdom
LINX provided early financial and organizational support connected with the creation of the Internet Watch Foundation, a UK reporting and removal initiative focused on child sexual abuse material online.
Outcome. The IWF was established and LINX continued to engage with it through advisory and funding-related activities.
Brand decisions
2022
Disconnection of Russian servicesOtherBackground
Following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, technology and network organizations faced pressure to respond to Russian state-linked or Russia-based services.
Action taken
LINX disconnected Russian services from its networks.
Aftermath
The action made LINX part of the wider technology-sector response to the war, although the cited material does not provide further operational or financial detail.
2017
Proposed governance change after the Investigatory Powers ActStrategyBackground
The UK surveillance framework raised questions about what LINX directors could disclose to members concerning legally required network monitoring or equipment.
Action taken
LINX put forward constitutional amendments addressing directors' duties and confidentiality.
Aftermath
The proposal did not pass because the extraordinary meeting failed to reach the required attendance threshold, despite majority support among participants.
2013
International expansion into Northern VirginiaStrategyBackground
LINX consulted the North American network community and its members about applying its open, neutral exchange model in the United States.
Action taken
LINX launched LINX NoVA across data centers in the Northern Virginia and Washington, DC area.
Aftermath
The organization gained a US operating presence and aligned the new exchange with the Open-IX community.
2012
Launch of LINX ManchesterProduct launchBackground
LINX sought to extend regional peering and reduce the concentration of UK interconnection in London.
Action taken
The organization opened an exchange in Manchester, initially operating as IX Manchester.
Aftermath
LINX established a regional UK exchange platform outside the capital.
2011
Redesign of the primary London LANStrategyBackground
Growing traffic and resilience requirements led LINX to revise the architecture of its main London switching platform.
Action taken
LINX implemented a VPLS-based primary LAN using Juniper Networks technology.
Aftermath
The redesign supported a more distributed and resilient exchange infrastructure.
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