Serving Sierra Leone · Guinea · Liberia

Keeping West Africa's internet local, fast & affordable

Born in Sierra Leone as the country's first Internet Exchange Point, Michcom-IX is an open-access, carrier-neutral IXP now interconnecting networks across Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia — cutting costs, slashing latency, and building a more resilient regional internet.

15 networks peering· 3 countries· Free ports for eligible peers
ISP MNO CDN Edu Gov Cloud IX Michcom
15
Member networks
3
Countries connected
50G
Total switching capacity
0$
Port fees for eligible peers
About Michcom-IX

Why an Internet Exchange matters

An Internet Exchange Point (IXP) is shared infrastructure where different networks meet to swap traffic directly. Without one, an email between two Freetown networks — or between Conakry and Monrovia — may travel through Europe and back.

Michcom-IX, operated as a non-profit initiative by Michcom Limited, keeps that traffic inside the region — strengthening the local internet ecosystem across Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia for ISPs, content providers, universities and government networks alike.

Open access

Any qualifying network can join — ISPs, mobile operators, CDNs, cloud, academia and the public sector.

Carrier-neutral

We are not an ISP and don't compete with members. Everyone peers on equal, transparent terms.

Built for the nation

Lower costs and better performance feed directly into Sierra Leone's digital transformation.

With an IXP, local traffic stays local

Without an IXP ISP A ISP B Europe With Michcom-IX ISP A ISP B IX Freetown Milliseconds, not continents

Direct local interconnection means lower latency, lower transit bills, and a more resilient network.

Why peer with us

Real benefits for every network

Joining is simple, open, and free of charge for qualified participants. Here's what peering at Michcom-IX delivers.

Lower latency

Local traffic exchanged locally means dramatically faster, snappier digital services for end users.

Reduced costs

Cut expensive international transit by keeping domestic traffic off costly upstream links.

Better experience

Improved performance for streaming, gaming, cloud apps and everyday browsing across the country.

Local content hosting

Encourages content and caches to live in-country, so popular data never leaves Sierra Leone.

Free port access

Eligible peers connect at no port cost — we lower the barrier to participation, not raise it.

National resilience

Less dependence on a handful of international links means a stronger, more reliable internet for all.

Getting connected

How to join Michcom-IX

From first contact to live traffic in four straightforward steps. Most members are peering within a couple of weeks.

1

Get in touch

Email us or fill in the form below with your organisation name and ASN. We'll send the peering policy and connection guide.

2

Provision your link

Arrange a cross-connect or transport to our facility. We'll confirm the port speed and assign your IX IP addresses.

3

Configure BGP

Peer with our route servers and any members directly. Our team supports you through setup and testing.

4

Go live

Once traffic is verified, you're a full member — exchanging local traffic and listed on our members page.

Start your application Download peering policy (PDF) Tip: link this button to your real policy PDF.
Where we are

Points of presence across the region

Connect to Michcom-IX at any of our facilities in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia. More sites are being added as the exchange grows.

Sierra Leone

2 sites
Freetown
Zoodlabs CLS MMR
Cable landing station / meet-me room in Freetown — the exchange's primary site.
Live
Jui
Leonecom MMR Jui
Meet-me room at the Leonecom facility in Jui, extending reach east of the capital.
Live

Guinea

1 site
Conakry
Guilab
Interconnection point in Conakry, bringing local peering to Guinean networks.
Live

Liberia

1 site
Monrovia
CCL
Cable Consortium of Liberia landing station in Monrovia, anchoring peering in Liberia.
Live
Our community

Networks peering at Michcom-IX

Operators across Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia are actively exchanging traffic at the exchange today. Some peer with us directly and are still completing their PeeringDB listings.

On-net services

Local services on the fabric

The exchange isn't just for member-to-member traffic — it also hosts shared services that every connected network can reach locally.

Quad9 public DNS resolver

Quad9's free, privacy-respecting recursive DNS resolver is hosted on-net behind Michcom (AS209049) and made available to the whole exchange. Networks resolve DNS locally instead of sending queries across international links — faster lookups, better privacy, and lighter upstream load.

9.9.9.9 Anycast resolver Malware blocking Available to all peers

Microsoft Connected Cache

A Microsoft Connected Cache (MCC) node caches Microsoft content — Windows Update, Microsoft Store apps, Office and Xbox downloads — locally at the exchange. Bandwidth-heavy updates are served from in-country rather than fetched repeatedly over international transit, cutting costs and speeding up updates for end users.

Windows & Microsoft content Local cache node Available to all peers
Transparency

Live exchange traffic

Aggregate traffic exchanged across the Michcom-IX fabric. Updated continuously.

Aggregate traffic — last 24 hours

Inbound Outbound
Verify our network details and peer with confidence — view us on PeeringDB →
For network engineers

How to connect

Everything your NOC needs to peer at Michcom-IX. All details are mirrored on our official PeeringDB record.

Peering LAN

IPv4 prefix196.60.166.0/24
IPv6 prefixComing soon
Payload MTU1500
Port speeds1G / 10G
Total capacity50G

Route servers

ASNAS37810
Route server 1196.60.166.2
Route server 2196.60.166.3
PolicyOpen
Technical contactzsolt@michcom-ix.net
Questions

Frequently asked

Everything a prospective member usually wants to know before connecting.

What exactly is peering?
Peering is when two networks agree to exchange traffic directly, rather than paying a third party to carry it. At an IXP like Michcom-IX, many networks meet in one place and can peer with each other over a single connection.
Who can join Michcom-IX?
Any network operator with its own Autonomous System Number (ASN) — ISPs, mobile operators, CDNs, cloud providers, universities and government networks across Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia are all welcome. If you don't yet have an ASN, get in touch and we'll point you in the right direction.
How much does it cost?
Port access is free of charge for eligible peers as part of our non-profit mission. You are responsible only for getting your link to our facility (the cross-connect or transport costs).
What equipment do I need?
A router capable of BGP, a connection into our facility, and your own ASN and IP space. Our connection guide covers the technical requirements in detail, and our team helps you through setup.
How long does it take to go live?
Once your physical link is in place, configuration and testing typically take a few days. Most members are exchanging live traffic within one to two weeks of first contact.
Is Michcom-IX an ISP?
No. We are a neutral, non-profit exchange operated by Michcom Limited's Network Services Division. We don't sell internet access or compete with our members — we simply provide the meeting point.
Get in touch

Ready to peer?

Interested in joining Michcom-IX or want to learn more? Reach out and our team will get you connected.

Location

71D Wilkinson Road, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Operated by

Michcom Limited — Network Services Division

Start your peering enquiry

Tell us about your network and we'll send the peering policy and next steps.

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