Learning Objectives
- Outline the history of the internet at exam level.
- Distinguish the internet from the World Wide Web.
- Explain who manages names, numbers, standards, and access (ISPs, ICANN, regional registries, standards bodies).
- Describe how the internet is governed and connected in Nepal.
Next: connections, IP and DNS, HTTP, email, FTP.
What is the internet?
The internet is a global network of networks that exchange data using the TCP/IP family of protocols. Millions of private, public, academic, business, and government networks are interconnected, so a laptop in Pokhara can reach a server in Singapore.
History (short)
The internet grew from 1960s packet-switching research (ARPANET), through TCP/IP in the 1980s, NSFNET, and commercial ISPs in the 1990s. The Web (Tim Berners-Lee, 1989–91) is an application that runs on the internet using HTTP and HTML. Email and FTP are other internet applications, not “the Web.”
Timeline
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1969 | ARPANET links its first four nodes (UCLA, SRI, UC Santa Barbara, University of Utah) |
| 1971 | Ray Tomlinson sends the first network email, introducing the @ sign |
| 1974 | Vint Cerf and Bob Kahn publish the design of TCP/IP |
| 1983 | ARPANET switches to TCP/IP (often called the “birth” of the modern internet); DNS is introduced |
| 1986 | NSFNET connects universities and becomes the internet backbone |
| 1989–91 | Tim Berners-Lee proposes and launches the World Wide Web at CERN |
| 1993 | The Mosaic graphical browser makes the Web popular |
| 1995 | NSFNET is retired; the backbone becomes fully commercial |
| 1998 | ICANN is created to coordinate domain names and IP addresses |
| 2007+ | Smartphones make mobile internet the main way most people go online |
Internet vs World Wide Web
| Internet | World Wide Web |
|---|---|
| The global network infrastructure | A service that runs on the internet |
| Uses TCP/IP to move packets | Uses HTTP/HTTPS to deliver web pages |
| Carries email, FTP, video calls, games, the Web | Consists of linked pages, sites, and web apps |
| Started in 1969 (ARPANET) | Started 1989–91 (Berners-Lee) |
Managing the internet
No single company owns the internet. ISPs sell access. Regional and global bodies coordinate unique IP addresses and domain names (the DNS hierarchy). IXPs (internet exchange points) let networks interconnect efficiently. Governments regulate locally (licensing ISPs, lawful intercept rules) but packets still cross borders.
Who does what
- ICANN / IANA — coordinate the global pool of IP addresses, domain names, and protocol numbers.
- Regional Internet Registries (RIRs) — allocate IP address blocks by region; APNIC serves Asia-Pacific, including Nepal.
- Domain registries — run top-level domains such as
.comor Nepal’s country code.np. - IETF — develops internet standards such as TCP/IP and HTTP; W3C develops Web standards such as HTML and CSS.
- ISOC (Internet Society) — promotes open development and use of the internet.
- ISPs — connect homes and businesses; IXPs connect ISPs to each other.
- National regulators — license ISPs and set local rules.
Connecting
Users connect via broadband, fiber, mobile data, or campus LAN (Unit 7.2). Every device needs an IP address; people use names that DNS translates.
Nepal / society example
.np domains, NTA-licensed ISPs, and campus Wi-Fi are how students “join” a global network. E-governance and e-commerce in later chapters assume this managed infrastructure exists.
- In the mid-1990s, Mercantile Communications began offering email and then internet access, becoming Nepal’s first commercial ISP. It also administers registrations under the
.npdomain. - The Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) licenses and regulates ISPs and telecom operators.
- Local ISPs exchange traffic at the Nepal Internet Exchange (NPIX), so a Kathmandu user visiting a Nepali website does not need to route data through another country.
- International bandwidth reaches Nepal mainly through fiber links across India, with additional links via China.
Key Takeaways
- Internet = global packet network; Web = one popular service on it.
- History questions usually want ARPANET → TCP/IP → NSFNET → commercial internet → Web.
- Management is distributed: ICANN/IANA, RIRs such as APNIC, standards bodies (IETF, W3C), ISPs, IXPs, and local regulators such as NTA.
Discussion Questions
- Why is “the internet went down” usually an ISP or campus-router problem, not “the whole internet”?
- Who would you call if
tu.edu.npdid not resolve? - Is WhatsApp the internet, the Web, or an application?
Exam-Style Questions
Short answer
- Differentiate between the internet and the World Wide Web.
- What was ARPANET? Why is it important in internet history?
- Write the role of ICANN in managing the internet.
Long answer
- Trace the history of the internet from ARPANET to the present day.
- “No one owns the internet, yet it is managed.” Explain with reference to global bodies, ISPs, and Nepal’s regulators.
