The Israel Internet Exchange: From IIX to IL-IX

Why a local internet exchange matters

In the early years of commercial internet access in Israel, different providers needed an efficient way to exchange domestic traffic. Without local interconnection, packets travelling between Israeli networks could take expensive and inefficient international routes. The Israel Internet Exchange (IIX) was established in 1996 to address that problem.

Operated by the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL), the exchange offered a shared point where domestic internet service providers could interconnect. It helped reduce dependence on international transit for local traffic and supported a more resilient internet ecosystem.

Peering, BGP and autonomous networks

The internet consists of thousands of independently administered networks, or autonomous systems. Operators use the Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) to exchange routing information. At an internet exchange point, networks can arrange peering and carry traffic directly between one another rather than relying on a distant transit provider.

Local peering can reduce latency and cost, but it does not guarantee the best route to every destination. Routing policy, physical topology, congestion and commercial arrangements still matter. Likewise, an exchange point is not a substitute for security controls or redundant connectivity.

Two generations of exchange infrastructure

The original IIX used a Layer 3 routing model, primarily for licensed Israeli internet service providers. A 2018 upgrade expanded the maximum supported connection speed to 100Gbps from the previous 10Gbps.

In 2025, ISOC-IL announced IL-IX, a new Layer 2 exchange with access across multiple locations in Israel. Its participation model is broader: entities with an autonomous system number and a physical presence in Israel can seek access under the applicable terms. That opens opportunities for cloud providers, content delivery networks and other organizations to exchange traffic locally.

A lesson in shared infrastructure

IIX demonstrates why neutral interconnection matters. Even competing networks benefit when they can cooperate on infrastructure that makes local communication faster and less dependent on distant links. For small hosting operators and independent communities, understanding peering and BGP is an important part of understanding how the internet actually works.