Raised in the Bronx, New York, Ryan received a scholarship to attend Cornell University, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1969.

[6] Ryan subsequently worked at Digital Equipment Corporation and Intel[1] where he worked on Ethernet protocols including the "blue book" which would form the basis for IEEE 802.3[7][8] His final job before founding his first company was a stint at Ungermann-Bass another pioneer in computer networking.

[1][5] When the company faced cash flow problems, Ryan sold Softcom to Hayes Microcomputer Products in 1984[9][10] and worked there as head of their West Coast division until 1988.

[1][7] Ryan departed Hayes Micro along with Jennette Symons, Jay Duncanson, and Steven Speckenbach.

With $3 million in venture capital funding the four of them founded Aria Communication Inc. in 1989, with Ryan as CEO, to make ISDN equipment.