Gateway Communications 82200045-03 8-Bit ISA WNIM/186 WAN Network Card

Gateway Communications 82200045-03 8-Bit ISA WNIM/186 WAN Network Card

The Gateway Communications 82200045-03 is an 8-bit ISA WAN Network Interface Module built around an Intel 80186 processor — hence the WNIM/186 designation. It is a full-length ISA expansion card designed to give IBM PC/XT/AT and compatible systems a direct WAN serial interface, connecting host computers to wide-area network equipment such as multiplexers, DSUs, and leased-line modems. The card interfaces through a DB-25 connector mounted on the bracket.

Specifications & What's Included

• Manufacturer: Gateway Communications, Inc.
• Part Number: 82200045-03
• Designation: WNIM/186 (WAN Network Interface Module, 80186-based)
• Bus Interface: 8-bit ISA (Industry Standard Architecture)
• Form Factor: Full-length ISA expansion card
• Onboard Processor: Intel 80186 (visible as large QFP IC on component side)
• Bracket Connector: DB-25 female (WAN/serial interface)
• Secondary Header: Multi-pin header/jumper block on bracket (visible in photos)
• Vintage: Circa 1990
• Included: Card only — no cables, software, or documentation included

Applications

The WNIM/186 class of cards was produced by Gateway Communications in the late 1980s and early 1990s for IBM PC-compatible systems that needed direct WAN connectivity. Gateway Communications was a significant vendor in the PC-based WAN networking space during that era, producing cards that allowed DOS-based workstations and servers to communicate over leased lines, X.25 packet networks, and other wide-area serial links — bypassing the need for external standalone terminal adapters in some configurations. Cards like this were commonly deployed in corporate environments running SNA gateway software, X.25 packet-switching applications, or proprietary WAN protocol stacks. The 80186 processor onboard offloaded WAN protocol processing from the host CPU, which was a meaningful performance advantage on the slower 8088/8086 and early 286-class machines of the time. Today these cards are sought primarily by collectors of vintage PC networking hardware, researchers, and anyone maintaining legacy DOS-era WAN systems.