HCC!hobbynet
Product brand
UnclaimedHCC!hobbynet is a Dutch member-run internet service provider and hosting platform, founded in 1991 as the first ISP for private users in the Netherlands.
Last updated September 28, 2026
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Overview
HCC!hobbynet is a Dutch internet service provider and hosting platform that originated in 1991 as a cooperative effort among three HCC user groups: UNIX-ig, C-ig and the 68000-ig. Its founding goal was to make the internet and its possibilities accessible and affordable for HCC members. By pooling demand collectively, the participants became the first private internet users in the Netherlands, making HCC!hobbynet the country's first ISP for private individuals — ahead of Knoware in Utrecht, IAF in Groningen and Xs4all in Amsterdam. Over the decades the service evolved alongside internet technology. It began with e-mail and news over UUCP connections in 1991, added SLIP in 1995 and PPP in 1996, introduced a web server for groups and departments in 1996, ISDN in 1997, and a nationwide dial-in network at local call rates in 1998. Domain registration for .com, .net, .org and .nl followed in 2000, along with virus and spam scanning for e-mail and MySQL/PostgreSQL database servers in 2002. Later milestones include CAcert in 2004, a tunnel server for HCC groups in 2006, server virtualisation in 2008, IPv6 in 2009, DNSSEC rollout from 2010, a load balancer in 2011, and hosting of the central hcc.nl website. Today HCC!hobbynet focuses on hosting services for members: website and mail hosting plus domain registration. The platform is run entirely by volunteer administrators and relies on open-source software, including Ubuntu Server and Debian, with Proxmox-based virtualisation since 2023. Recent developments include an LDAP server in a load-balanced environment at BIT (2022), a REST/JSON server (2022), phasing out the XML server (2022), RPKI security for managed routes (2023), a new Joomla template for the HCC.nl website and HCC groups (2023), a 100% score at internet.nl (2023), and full open-source hypervisors with Proxmox (2023). As a member-oriented, volunteer-run service, HCC!hobbynet occupies a niche as a community ISP and hosting provider within the Dutch HCC association. It is not a commercial mass-market provider but a collective infrastructure for hobbyists and members, sustained by open-source principles and volunteer administration.
History
HCC!hobbynet was founded in 1991 as a collaboration between three HCC user groups (now interest groups): UNIX-ig, C-ig and the 68000-ig. The aim was to make the internet and all its possibilities accessible and available to HCC members at an attractive price. In 1991, Hobbynet participants became the first private internet users in the Netherlands, when the then management of NLnet found a way around the rates applied within the international EUnet by bundling them collectively. This made Hobbynet the first ISP for private individuals in the Netherlands, ahead of Knoware in Utrecht, IAF in Groningen and Xs4all in Amsterdam. The service evolved through a series of technological milestones. In 1991 it offered e-mail and news via UUCP connections. SLIP connections followed in 1995, PPP connections in 1996, and a web server for groups and departments in 1996. ISDN connections arrived in 1997, and in 1998 a nationwide dial-in network at local call rates was introduced. In 2000, registration of .com, .net, .org and .nl domains began. In 2002, a virus and spam scanner for e-mail was added, along with MySQL and PostgreSQL database servers. CAcert was introduced in 2004, followed by a tunnel server for HCC groups in 2006 and server virtualisation in 2008. IPv6 was introduced in 2009, the same year news was phased out. In 2010, DNSSEC was rolled out for the hcc.nl domains. In 2011, the nationwide dial-in network was phased out, a load balancer for Hobbynet services was introduced (software sponsored by inlab), a new MySQL database cluster was launched, the first website cluster was introduced, and hosting of the central hcc.nl website began. In 2012, all DNS zones ran DNSSEC. In 2022, the LDAP server was placed in a load-balanced environment at BIT, a REST/JSON server was started, and the phasing out of the XML server began. In 2023, all self-managed routes were provided with RPKI security, a new Joomla template for the HCC.nl website and HCC groups was launched, a 100% score was achieved at internet.nl, and virtualisation software based on Proxmox was implemented. Also in 2023, HCC!hobbynet's hypervisors became fully open source with Proxmox. Today, HCC!hobbynet only offers hosting services to members for hosting websites and mail, plus domain registration. It runs entirely on volunteer administrators and open-source software, using Ubuntu Server and Debian, with Proxmox-based hypervisors since 2023.
- 2023
RPKI security for all self-managed routes; new Joomla template for HCC.nl website and HCC groups; 100% score at internet.nl; Proxmox-based virtualisation implemented; hypervisors fully open source with Proxmox.
- 2022
LDAP server placed in load-balanced environment at BIT; REST/JSON server started; phasing out of XML server began.
- 2012
All DNS zones run DNSSEC.
- 2011
Nationwide dial-in network phased out; load balancer introduced (software sponsored by inlab); new MySQL database cluster; first website cluster; hosting of central hcc.nl website.
- 2010
DNSSEC rolled out for hcc.nl domains.
- 2009
IPv6 introduced; news phased out.
- 2008
Server virtualisation.
- 2006
Tunnel server for HCC groups.
- 2004
CAcert introduced.
- 2002
Virus and spam scanner for e-mail; MySQL and PostgreSQL database servers.
Products and positioning
Member-run, volunteer-administered internet service provider and hosting platform for HCC members, built on open-source software.
Website hosting
Email hosting
Domain registration
DNS services
Database servers (MySQL, PostgreSQL)
Virtualisation infrastructure (Proxmox)
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