The Global Internet: ARPANET, TCP/IP, World Wide Web & Public-Key Encryption
Encyclopedia/2. Technology & The Built World/1. Computing, AI & Information Technology/04. Networks, Internet & Cryptography • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
Key milestones in the development of the global internet, from early packet switching and ARPANET through the creation of TCP/IP, the World Wide Web, public-key encryption, and modern 5G and satellite internet.
Chronological Storyline (42 Milestones)
1962 CE
Licklider Proposes Galactic Network
J.C.R. Licklider of MIT outlines a global computer network concept in a series of memos, inspiring early internet research. #internet #history
Licklider Proposes Galactic Network By Unknown author - Unknown source, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=159863858
1965 CE
Packet Switching Concept
Paul Baran publishes a report on distributed survivable networks using packet switching, a foundational concept for the internet. #networking #history
Packet Switching Concept By Andreu Veà, WiWiW.org - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=139600816
Oct 29, 1969 CE
First ARPANET Message
The first message is sent over ARPANET from UCLA to SRI: 'LO' (attempting 'LOGIN'). This marks the birth of the modern internet. #internet #history
First ARPANET Message By ARPANET - The Computer History Museum ([1]), en:File:Arpnet-map-march-1977.png, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=9990864
1971 CE
Ray Tomlinson Invents Email
Ray Tomlinson creates the first network email system and chooses the @ symbol to separate user from host, revolutionizing communication. #email #history
Ray Tomlinson Invents Email By Andreu Veà, WiWiW.org, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42522367
Oct 1, 1972 CE
ARPANET Public Demonstration
The first public demonstration of ARPANET at the International Computer Communication Conference (ICCC) shows its potential to a wide audience. #internet #history
1973 CE
TCP/IP Design Begins
Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn start developing the Transmission Control Protocol (TCP/IP) to enable diverse networks to interconnect. #TCP/IP #networking
1976 CE
Ethernet Invented at Xerox PARC
Bob Metcalfe invents Ethernet, a local area network technology that becomes the dominant standard for wired connections. #networking #history
Ethernet Invented at Xerox PARC By Wikideas1 - Own work, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=184350807
1977 CE
RSA Public-Key Encryption
Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman publish the RSA algorithm, enabling secure communications over unsecure networks. #cryptography #security )
1978 CE
TCP Split into TCP and IP
Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn split the original TCP into TCP and IP, refining the protocol suite to handle both reliability and routing. #TCP/IP #networking
1981 CE
CSNET Connects Computer Science Departments
The National Science Foundation funds CSNET, a network linking computer science departments, expanding academic internet access. #internet #history
CSNET Connects Computer Science Departments By Unknown author - الحكومة الفيدرالية للولايات المتحدة, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63870335
Jan 1, 1983 CE
ARPANET Adopts TCP/IP
The ARPANET officially switches to TCP/IP, establishing the core protocols of the modern internet across its network. #TCP/IP #history
1984 CE
Domain Name System (DNS) Introduced
DNS is introduced to map human-readable domain names to IP addresses, making the internet more accessible. #DNS #history
Mar 15, 1985 CE
First .com Domain Registered
Symbolics.com becomes the first registered .com domain, marking the start of commercial internet domains. #domains #history
Mar 1, 1989 CE
Tim Berners-Lee Proposes the World Wide Web
Tim Berners-Lee writes a proposal at CERN for a hypertext-based information system, which becomes the World Wide Web. #WWW #history
Tim Berners-Lee Proposes the World Wide Web By Summit - https://www.flickr.com/photos/websummit/54921652153/in/photolist-2rM7hjw-2rF9mvh-2rFePK8-2rFfj7q-2rFf4Xs-2rwcwe4-2rwMG1Z-2rwNPBM-2rwHdJU, CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=192817373
Dec 20, 1990 CE
First Web Browser Created
Tim Berners-Lee releases the first web browser, called WorldWideWeb, on a NeXT workstation, enabling navigation of the emerging web. #WWW #browsers
First Web Browser Created By This file was made by User:Sven Translation If this image contains text, it can be translated easily into your language. If you need help, contact me Flexible licenses If you want to use this picture with another license than stated below, contact me Contact the author If you need a really fast answer, mail me. If you need only a fast answer, write me here. - from en, en:Image:WorldWideWeb.png, original uploader en:User:CyberSkull, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4740680
Aug 6, 1991 CE
First Web Server at CERN
The first website goes live on Tim Berners-Lee's NeXT computer at CERN, explaining the World Wide Web project. #WWW #history
First Web Server at CERN By Liamd967 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=136836404
Apr 22, 1993 CE
Mosaic Web Browser Released
NCSA releases Mosaic, the first graphical web browser that popularizes the World Wide Web among the general public. #browsers #WWW )
Mosaic Web Browser Released By Charles Severance - Screenshot, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=75617889
Oct 13, 1994 CE
Netscape Navigator Released
Netscape Communications releases the Netscape Navigator browser, which becomes the dominant browser in the early web era. #browsers #history
Jul 16, 1995 CE
Amazon.com Founded
Jeff Bezos founds Amazon.com as an online bookstore, pioneering e-commerce and cloud computing services later. #ecommerce #history )
Amazon.com Founded By SounderBruce - Own workFlickr copy: Amazon Tower I (Rufus Block 14), CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=42178655
1996 CE
IPv6 Specification Proposed
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) proposes IPv6 to address the exhaustion of IPv4 addresses. #networking #IPv6
IPv6 Specification Proposed By Michel Bakni - S. Deering, R. Hinden (July 2017) RFC 8200, Internet Protocol, Version 6 (IPv6) Specification, The Internet Society, p. 6 DOI: 10.17487/RFC8200., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82498564
Sep 4, 1998 CE
Google Founded
Larry Page and Sergey Brin incorporate Google, developing the PageRank search algorithm that revolutionizes web search. #search #history
Google Founded By Asoundd - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77221979
Sep 30, 1998 CE
ICANN Formed
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is created to oversee domain name and IP address allocation. #governance #history
ICANN Formed By ICANN - The logo may be obtained from ICANN., Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11986539
1999 CE
Wi-Fi 802.11b Standard Ratified
The Wi-Fi standard 802.11b is ratified, enabling wireless local area networking and widespread internet mobility. #WiFi #wireless
Jan 15, 2001 CE
Wikipedia Launched
Jimmy Wales and Larry Sanger launch Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia that becomes one of the world's most visited websites. #wikimedia #history
Wikipedia Launched By Version 1 by Nohat (concept by Paullusmagnus); Wikimedia. - File:Wikipedia-logo.svg as of 14 May 2010T23:16:42, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=10337301
Aug 29, 2003 CE
Skype Released
Skype is released, offering free voice and video calls over the internet, popularizing VoIP communication. #VoIP #communication
Skype Released By Skype Technologies - https://support.microsoft.com/en-us, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=81605516
Feb 4, 2004 CE
Facebook Launched
Mark Zuckerberg launches 'TheFacebook' at Harvard, which evolves into the world's largest social network. #socialmedia #history
Apr 23, 2005 CE
First YouTube Video Uploaded
The first video, 'Me at the zoo,' is uploaded to YouTube, marking the start of the video-sharing platform. #video #history
First YouTube Video Uploaded By Lyles BBQ, Smile and Learn - English, The Flat Top King (previous screenshot: yumyotta) - https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=burger+recipe (filtered to only show Creative Commons-licensed videos), thumbnails from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeSA4VUjGpE, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D-hOG4lRm3Y, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMhUKXwfMbg (previous screenshot on third entry: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gxgC0a3YSUw), Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=165855130
Jul 15, 2006 CE
Twitter Launched
Twitter is launched, introducing the microblogging format with 140-character tweets that influence real-time news. #socialmedia #history
Twitter Launched By X Corp. - About X | Our logo, brand guidelines, and tools, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=175272508
Jun 29, 2007 CE
iPhone Introduced
Apple's iPhone is released, combining a phone, iPod, and internet communicator, revolutionizing mobile internet access. #mobile #history
iPhone Introduced By Rafael Fernandez - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=174771692
Jan 3, 2009 CE
Bitcoin Network Launches
The Bitcoin network is launched by Satoshi Nakamoto, using blockchain and cryptography to enable decentralized digital currency. #cryptocurrency #blockchain
Bitcoin Network Launches By Grayliptrot - This file was derived from: Bitcoin logo.svg, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30202095
Mar 1, 2010 CE
Amazon Web Services Cloud Computing Growth
AWS continues expanding its cloud services, making scalable internet infrastructure widely available to businesses. #cloud #computing
Amazon Web Services Cloud Computing Growth By Amazon.com, Inc. and Koto - https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/logopedia/images/9/98/AWS-2025.svg/revision/latest?cb=20250503025102, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=164638655
Jun 6, 2011 CE
Apple iCloud Launched
Apple launches iCloud, integrating cloud storage and syncing across devices, popularizing cloud services for consumers. #cloud #apple
Apple iCloud Launched By Apple Distribution International Ltd. - icloud.com, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=135671006
Jun 6, 2012 CE
World IPv6 Launch Day
Major internet service providers and websites permanently enable IPv6, moving beyond IPv4 address exhaustion. #IPv6 #networking
World IPv6 Launch Day By World IPv6 Day (Internet Society) - https://www.worldipv6launch.org/downloads/ archived: https://web.archive.org/web/20251231062251/https://www.worldipv6launch.org/wp-content/themes/ipv6/downloads/World_IPv6_launch_badge.svg, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=19805913
Feb 19, 2014 CE
Facebook Acquires WhatsApp
Facebook acquires WhatsApp for $19 billion, consolidating its dominance in mobile messaging. #acquisition #socialmedia
Facebook Acquires WhatsApp By WhatsApp - https://about.meta.com/de/brand/resources/whatsapp/whatsapp-brand/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=160801474
Nov 1, 2015 CE
SpaceX Announces Starlink Satellite Internet
SpaceX announces Starlink, a satellite constellation to provide global broadband internet from low Earth orbit. #satellite #internet
SpaceX Announces Starlink Satellite Internet By Starlink Services, LLC - www.starlink.com, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=155621569
Nov 30, 2016 CE
Google Launches Google Home Smart Speaker
Google launches the Google Home, integrating voice-controlled internet services into the smart home ecosystem. #IoT #AI
Dec 1, 2018 CE
First 5G Standard Completed
3GPP releases the first 5G NR (New Radio) standard, enabling ultra-fast mobile internet and low latency for new applications. #5G #mobile
First 5G Standard Completed By Michel Bakni - TIA/EIA IS-3: TIA/EIA IS-3 Cellular System Mobile Station - Land Station Compatibility Specification IS-54, IS-136 & cdma 2000: Huurdeman, Anton (2003) The worldwide history of telecommunications, Category:New York: J. Wiley, p. 533−535 ISBN: 9780471205050. CDMA 2000 1x: Burbank, Jack (2013) Wireless networking : understanding internetworking challenges, Hoboken: John Wiley ISBN: 9781118590782. and Dahlman, Erik (2011) 4G LTE/LTE-Advanced for mobile broadband, Amsterdam Boston: Elsevier/Academic Press, p. 405 ISBN: 978-0-12-385489-6. WiMaX: 802.16, 802.16e-2005, IEEE 802.16m-2011, and 802.16t 3GPP releases: 3GPP releases, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=115525138
Apr 3, 2019 CE
First Commercial 5G Network Launches
Verizon launches the first commercial 5G network in the US, marking the rollout of next-generation wireless internet. #5G #mobile
Mar 11, 2020 CE
COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Internet Surge
The World Health Organization declares COVID-19 a pandemic; global internet usage spikes as work, education, and social life move online. #pandemic #digital
COVID-19 Pandemic Drives Internet Surge By Gustavo Basso - https://www.flickr.com/photos/gustavocb/49913440386, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=112916636
Oct 1, 2021 CE
Starlink Beta Expanded Globally
SpaceX expands Starlink satellite internet beta services to multiple countries, offering high-speed internet in remote areas. #satellite #internet
2022 CE
Internet Users Reach 5 Billion
The number of internet users worldwide surpasses 5 billion, representing over 60% of the global population. #digital #divide
Jul 5, 2023 CE
Threads by Meta Launched
Meta launches Threads, a microblogging platform, quickly gaining over 100 million users as an alternative to Twitter. #socialmedia #threads )
Threads by Meta Launched By Meta Platforms, Inc. - https://www.meta.com/brand/resources/instagram/threads/, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=191889374
