The Internet began in the United States with the creation of ARPANET in the 1960s; the technology arrived in Brazil in the late 1980s, initially for use in research and teaching institutions.
The creation of the Internet took place during the Cold War in the 1960s. The United States sought to create a communications network resistant to nuclear attacks, which gave rise to the experimental ARPANET network.
The emergence of the Internet, as we know it today, is an evolution of ARPANET with the addition of communication protocols created in the 1970s. Then, the creation of the World Wide Web, in the late 1980s, was fundamental in making technology accessible to the general public.
Below, learn more about the history of the internet, the main scientists involved and its timeline. Also find out when it arrived in Brazil and became commercial.
Index
- Who created the internet?
- When did the internet appear?
- What is the timeline of the internet?
- When did the internet appear in Brazil?
- Why was the internet created?
- How was the internet created?
- Which countries played a relevant role in the development of the internet?
- What is the difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet?
- What is the difference between internet and intranet?
- What is the difference between the regular internet and the Deep Web?
Who created the internet?
The Internet, as we know it today, is the result of a collaborative effort by several scientists and engineers. Rather than having a single creator of the Internet, the World Wide Web was shaped by a series of people who contributed innovative ideas and technologies.
Meet the main names and their contributions:
- JCR Licklider:computer scientist who created the concept of the “Galactic Network”, aiming to connect computers globally;
- Paul Baran:engineer who proposed a decentralized, fault-resistant communication network, inspiring the architecture of the internet;
- Lawrence Roberts:scientist who led the development of ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet, and implemented packet switching;
- Leonard Kleinrock:scientist who contributed to the theory of packet switching, fundamental to data transmission on the internet;
- Donald Davies:scientist who developed technology similar to packet switching at the National Physical Laboratory in Middlesex, UK, parallel to the work of Roberts and Kleinrock;
- Bob Kahn and Vint Cerf:computer scientists who developed the TCP/IP protocol, a language that allows communication between different networks;
- Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel:scientists who invented the Domain Name System (DNS), a system that translates numeric IP addresses into easier-to-remember domain names;
- Tim Berners-Lee:scientist and creator of the World Wide Web (WWW), popularizing the internet and making it accessible to the public.
When did the internet appear?
The origin of the internet as we know it today began in 1983. In that year, ARPANET evolved and adopted the TCP/IP protocol, allowing the interconnection of networks on a global scale.
However, the structure of the world wide web began in the 1960s. The creation of ARPANET by the United States Department of Defense’s Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) was essential for the evolution of technology.
What is the timeline of the internet?
The evolution of the internet can be assessed by a timeline that runs from the 1960s to the end of the 2010s. Discover the main facts:
- 1965:Packet switching, a theory developed by Paul Baran, is improved by Lawrence Roberts and Leonard Kleinrock, allowing communication between computers more efficiently;
- 1969:ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet, is created to connect universities, research institutions and military agencies in the United States. The first message is sent between UCLA and Stanford, in the state of California, in the same year;
- 1974:The TCP/IP protocol is developed by Vint Cerf and Robert Kahn, allowing two computers to exchange information through different networks;
- 1983:The DNS system is created by Paul Mockapetris and Jon Postel to name websites, making them easier to remember instead of IP address numbers;
- 1989:The World Wide Web is invented by Tim Berners-Lee, giving rise to the Internet as we know it today, including the HTTP, HTML and URL components;
- 1990:Archie, the first internet search engine, is created by Canadian Alan Emtage;
- 1994:Netscape is launched and becomes the leading internet browser of the time, reaching more than 10 million users;
- 1998:Google is created by Larry Page and Sergey Brin. Although it was not the first, it became the main search engine on the Internet;
- 2004:Facebook and Orkut are launched and revolutionize the way people connect, giving rise to the era of social networks;
- 2005:YouTube is created, helping to popularize video sharing and transforming the internet into an entertainment platform;
- 2006:Twitter, now known as X, emerges as a microblogging tool, facilitating real-time communication;
- 2010:Instagram is created with the aim of being a social network focused on sharing images;
- 2017:TikTok is founded as a vertical video sharing platform.
Timeline with the main events related to the internet (image: Vitor Pádua/Tecnoblog)
When did the internet become popular?
The Internet became a popular technology in 1995. The emergence of graphical browsers, such as Netscape, in 1994, was fundamental in transforming the tool restricted to researchers and institutions into something accessible and intuitive for the general public.
When did the internet appear in Brazil?
The Internet arrived in Brazil in 1988, thanks to the initiative of the academic community aiming to connect research institutions and facilitate the exchange of information. In particular, the São Paulo Research Foundation (FAPESP), the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) and the National Laboratory for Scientific Computing (LNCC).
It was only in 1994, with Embratel’s pilot project, that the Internet became accessible to the general public through dial-up lines. The commercialization of the technology helped expand access among the Brazilian population.
Why was the internet created?
The Internet was born out of the need for resilient, decentralized communication. During the Cold War in the 1960s, the United States sought to create a network that could withstand a nuclear attack by the Soviet Union, allowing military and government operations to continue.
With this goal in mind, ARPANET, the precursor to the Internet, was created. The technology also helped connect researchers from different institutions around the world, facilitating collaboration, knowledge sharing and driving scientific advances.
How was the internet created?
The Internet was built by the United States during the Cold War in the 1960s. Funded by the Department of Defense, ARPANET used packet switching technology, which divided data into small fragments, to connect universities and research centers and facilitate collaboration on scientific and military projects.
ARPANET evolved throughout the 1970s and gave rise to the Internet as we know it. The TCP/IP protocol , which allows different networks to communicate in a standardized way, and the DNS system , which translates numeric IP addresses into domain names, were important milestones of this era.
Finally, the creation of the World Wide Web in the late 1980s was essential for the popularization of the Internet. The HTML language allowed the creation of interactive pages, and the HTTP protocol enabled communication between servers and browsers.
Which countries played a relevant role in the development of the internet?
The United States played a key role in the early development of the Internet with the creation of ARPANET. This was the first computer network to use packet switching technology, the basis of today’s Internet.
However, the Internet is a product of global collaboration. The United Kingdom and France, for example, have made important contributions through research that has improved computer networks and packet switching.
Switzerland, the country where the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) is located, served as the birthplace for research into the creation of the World Wide Web. The project gave rise to the interconnected hypertext document system used to this day.
What is the difference between the World Wide Web and the Internet?
The World Wide Web is a system of interconnected documents accessible through the Internet. It acts as a graphical interface for interacting with the Internet, using protocols such as HTTP to allow browsers to retrieve and display web pages.
The Internet, in turn, is a global network of networks that connects devices (cell phones, computers, servers), allowing communication and information sharing. It is the basis on which the World Wide Web is built.
The World Wide Web and Deep Web are “layers” of the internet (image: Vitor Pádua/Tecnoblog)
What is the difference between internet and intranet?
The Internet is a global, public network of computers, accessible to anyone with a connected device. It’s like a huge digital library, where you can find a wealth of information, services, and resources.
Intranet , on the other hand, is a private computer network restricted to a specific organization. It is accessible only to its authorized employees, facilitating internal communication and the exchange of data in a secure manner.
What is the difference between the regular internet and the Deep Web?
The common internet is made up of public pages, found by search engines like Google. These are news sites, online stores, social networks and other content that can be accessed directly and without passwords.
The Deep Web is all the websites on the internet that are not found by search engines. This part of the internet ranges from password-protected pages, such as email accounts and databases, to more complex information, such as scientific research and government data.
