Networks such as ARPANET were developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s using a variety of protocols. The first ARPANET link was established between the University of California and Stanford Research Institute in 1969.
In 1982 the Internet Protocol was standardized and the concept of a world-wide network of fully inter-connected TCP / IP networks called the Internet was introduced.

The first central authority was the Network Information Centre (NIC) at Stanford Research Institute, Ca.
In 1993 the U.S. National Science Foundation created the InterNIC to manage the allocations of addresses. Registration Services were subcontracted to private-sector Network Solutions. In 1998 InterNIC was reorganized under the control of ICANN, a California non-profit corporation contracted by the United States Department of Commerce to manage a number of Internet-related tasks.

In September 2009 ICANN gained autonomy from the US government by ending its longstanding agreements. The history of the Internet will now be played out in many ways as a consequence of the ICANN organization.