Title: 1.2 History of the Internet
Course: Information and Communication Technology: Module B > Section: Section 1 - Telecommunications and Network Basics

1.2.1 Why Do We Need Networking?

The need to quickly share information was an important part of why computer networks arose. If you own multiple PCs or other devices, you probably have some of them networked. With your devices connected, you can:

- access shared files such as photographs, music, and documents on any computer or device in your home
- share a single printer
- share an Internet broadband connection
- play games that allow multiple users at different computers
- connect with others using a Webcam or other devices

In this section, we will learn why we need networks and what makes a network. Most of us expect 24/7 access to information, news, and our social groups from several types of devices. But what makes that possible? Who manages and controls it? Who decides when, where and to what I have access?

1.2.2 History of the Internet

It has taken decades to create what we think of as the Internet.  The notion began in response to the USSR’s launch of Sputnik in October, 1957. President Dwight Eisenhower created the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) within the Department of Defense to establish an American.lead in science and technology applicable to the military. ARPA was later changed to DARPA to reflect the Department of Defense involvement.

In 1964, the RAND Corporation worked to design a communications network that could link cities, states, and military bases.  Their planned network had to be able to withstand an atomic bomb. In 1967, the National Physical Laboratory (NPL) in England created the NPL network to experiment with packet switching using 768 Kbps (Kilobits per second). Also in 1967, three independent packet network teams (RAND, NPL, ARPA) met for the first time.

In 1968, DARPA sent out a proposal request for a new network project called ARPANET. This DARPA project was eventually awarded in three parts:

- UCLA was selected to create a Network Measurement Center.
- Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc. (BBN) was selected to build packet switched interface Message Processors (IMP).
- Network Working Group (NWG) was selected to develop communications protocols for ARPANET.

ARPANET went online in October, 1969.  It was configured with four 50 Kbps Interface Message Processor (IMP) network nodes that connected four universities using Network Control Protocol (NCP) to transfer data. This allowed communications between hosts running on the same network—a huge accomplishment for the time. Packets were first sent at 10:30pm on October 29th by Charley Kline at UCLA .

The results were exciting—within limits.  The first packet transmission caused the system to crash when the letter G of LOGIN was entered.

1.2.3 History of the Internet

Email was invented in 1971-72 by Ray Tomlinson at BBN. It quickly became popular, and soon a large portion of all network traffic was email. In 1972, the first public demonstration of ARPANET was held in the basement of the Washington Hilton Hotel. The public was invited to try out the ARPANET and run applications all over the United States.

In 1973, the first international connections to ARPANET occurred when the University College of London and Norway's Royal Radar Establishment signed onto the network. Commercial interests started in 1974 when BBN developed the commercial version of ARPANET called Telenet. Telenet was the first commercially-available packet-switching network. It was used by early dial-up services like Compuserve, America Online (AOL), and GEnie [JH1] .

In 1983, all machines connected via ARPANET had to switch from the Network Control Protocol (NCP) to the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP/IP). And the Internet was born.

In 1991, Tim Berners-Lee published a paper proposing a "world wide web" which was released by CERN. The first web site, http://info.cern.ch, was launched at 2:56:20 p.m. on August 8, 1991.

Today, when we think of the World Wide Web, we assume that it was always available for public use.  It's important to recognize that the World Wide Web was originally intended to allow scientists to share information.