What milwaukee internet exchange does

Milwaukee Internet Exchange (MKEIX) is a not-for-profit internet peering exchange established in 2011 and incorporated in Wisconsin, USA. It operates a single point of interconnection at the Data Holdings facility (3135 W Highland Blvd, Milwaukee, WI) where participating networks cross-connect into a shared Layer 2 Ethernet fabric to exchange traffic directly, eliminating the need to route Milwaukee-area traffic through Chicago. The exchange supports IPv4 (204.107.122.0/24) and IPv6 (2602:F616::/64) with port speeds of 1Gbps, 10Gbps, and 100Gbps over single-mode fiber. There are currently seven peering participants, including PCH (Packet Clearing House), Hoyos Consulting, TSR Solutions, Data Holdings, MN VOIP, and South Front Networks.

MKEIX is operated entirely by volunteers and funded through donations rather than commercial revenue. There are no membership fees; 1Gbps ports are provided at no charge, while 10Gbps and 100Gbps ports require one-time fees of $500 and $1,000 respectively to cover optics, switching, and installation. Operational management is delegated to Hoyos Consulting, which provides switching equipment, optics, network monitoring, and handles ARIN and state filing fees. Data Holdings serves as the colocation sponsor, providing rack space and cross-connect services. The target users are regional ISPs, network operators, and colocation providers seeking low-cost, low-latency local peering in the Milwaukee/Midwest region.

The go-to-market motion is community-led: MKEIX does not conduct sales or marketing, instead relying on PeeringDB listings, word-of-mouth within the ISP/telecom community, and its public website (mkeix.net) for member acquisition. Eligibility requires only an AS number, IP space, and an active PeeringDB record, making onboarding straightforward for qualified networks.

Name

milwaukee internet exchange

Legal name

Milwaukee Internet Exchange

Website

https://mkeix.net

Company type

Private

Founded year

2011

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Milwaukee Internet Exchange (MKEIX) is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run internet peering exchange in Milwaukee, WI that enables regional ISPs and network operators to exchange traffic directly via a shared Layer 2 fabric, eliminating the Chicago hop and reducing transit costs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Internet Peering and Network Interconnection

akta.pro primary industry

Carrier Interconnection & Peering Exchanges (IXPs, private interconnect, cross-connect) (HDAIAEAG)

Keywords

• Internet peering exchange
• Network interconnection
• BGP peering fabric
• Carrier neutral exchange
• ISP traffic exchange

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Sponsor Contributions: MKEIX is entirely not-for-profit. The exchange is operated by volunteers and funded through generous donations from participants and other vendors. No membership fees or port charges apply for 1Gbps ports.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

The Milwaukee Internet Exchange (MKEIX) operates a not-for-profit, Layer 2 internet peering exchange located at the Data Holdings facility in Milwaukee, WI. Participants with an ASN and PeeringDB account cross-connect via single mode fiber at 1G, 10G, or 100G ports to exchange IPv4 and IPv6 traffic directly, eliminating the need to route local traffic through Chicago.

Product overview

MKEIX operates as a single, unified internet peering exchange service (not a platform-plus-modules architecture). The core offering is the MKEIX peering exchange located at Data Holdings (3135 W Highland Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53208), which provides interconnection services for networks with AS numbers. Participants connect via single mode fiber with port options ranging from 1Gbps (no charge) to 10Gbps ($500 one-time) and 100Gbps ($1000 one-time). The exchange supports both IPv4 (204.107.122.0/24) and IPv6 (2602:F616::/64) connectivity. MKEIX is operated by volunteers and Hoyos Consulting, with no commercial membership fees beyond optional port costs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• MKEIX Internet Peering Exchange

Quantifiable outcome

• Eliminates Chicago hop for Milwaukee-area traffic
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Data HoldingscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Data Holdings provides colocation space and cross-connect services at their facility (3135 W Highland Blvd, Milwaukee, WI 53208), serving as the physical host for MKEIX's peering infrastructure. They are listed as a sponsor providing colocation and cross connects to support the exchange.
• Hoyos ConsultingcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 1 January 2011Hoyos Consulting is the operational manager of MKEIX, providing switching equipment, optics, network monitoring, and handling ARIN fees and state LLC filing fees. Their NOC ([email protected]) manages port assignments and exchange IP address allocations.

Scale indicators3 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• Seattle Internet Exchange (SIX): SIX is a not-for-profit, volunteer-run regional IXP serving the Seattle/Pacific Northwest region — structurally and operationally nearly identical to MKEIX, including the donation/sponsor model, neutral governance, and PeeringDB-led community growth.
• PhillyIX: PhillyIX is a non-profit, volunteer-run regional IXP serving the Philadelphia area — closely comparable to MKEIX in model (community exchange, donation-funded, single metro focus, PeeringDB-driven participant acquisition).
• Toronto Internet Exchange (TorIX): TorIX is one of the largest non-profit IXPs in North America, operated with member governance. It shares MKEIX's community-driven, neutral model focused on regional traffic localization, though at considerably larger scale.
• SFMIX (San Francisco Metropolitan Internet Exchange): SFMIX is a non-profit, volunteer-run regional IXP serving the San Francisco Bay Area — closely comparable to MKEIX in non-profit community model and Layer 2 peering fabric focus, though operating in a larger metro market.

Broad incumbents

• Equinix Internet Exchange: Equinix operates the largest global portfolio of commercial IXPs, including the dominant Chicago exchange (CHI) that MKEIX explicitly positions against. Directly comparable as the alternative interconnection venue most participants also use; differs vastly in scale, commercial model, and pricing.
• CoreSite Open Internet Exchange (Any2): CoreSite's Any2Exchange is a major commercial IXP, primarily on the US West Coast. Comparable as a Layer 2 peering fabric serving regional ISPs and carriers; differs from MKEIX in being part of a broader colocation/data center business with recurring commercial pricing.
• DE-CIX: DE-CIX is one of the world's largest IXP operators, headquartered in Frankfurt with global exchange points. Comparable as a carrier-neutral peering exchange operator; differs vastly in scale, geographic reach, and commercial structure.
• AMS-IX (Amsterdam Internet Exchange): AMS-IX is a leading global IXP based in Amsterdam, referenced directly by MKEIX on its technical page for peering configuration guidance. Comparable as a neutral Layer 2 peering exchange operator; operates at orders-of-magnitude larger scale.
• LINX (London Internet Exchange): LINX is one of the world's largest neutral IXPs, serving the London metro with global peering reach. Comparable as a non-profit, member-governed peering exchange operator; differs from MKEIX in massive scale and London metro focus.

Regional players

• NYIIX: NYIIX is a neutral, not-for-profit IXP serving the New York/New Jersey metro area. Comparable to MKEIX as a regional non-profit peering exchange; differs in serving a much larger metro and operating at significantly greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about milwaukee internet exchange