David J. Farber, 'Grandfather of the Internet,' Dies at 91

A researcher, professor and federal policy adviser, he guided students who went on to do groundbreaking work in connecting the world online.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

David J. Farber, a professor of computer networks who was known as the 'grandfather of the internet' for his influential work and the students he trained, died on Feb. 7 in Tokyo at the age of 91. Farber's research and guidance helped shape the development of the internet, with many of his students going on to make key contributions to protocols and systems that formed the foundation of the modern internet.

Why it matters

Farber was a pioneering figure in the early days of computer networking and the internet. His work and the students he mentored played a crucial role in laying the technical and conceptual groundwork for the global communication network we rely on today. Recognizing Farber's legacy helps underscore the important contributions of researchers and academics in the development of transformative technologies.

The details

Farber started his career at Bell Laboratories in the 1950s, when computers were largely isolated devices. Over the following decades, he guided students like Jonathan Postel and Paul Mockapetris, who made seminal contributions to the Internet Protocol and Domain Name System that underpinned the internet's growth. Farber also collaborated with engineer Paul Baran on a 1977 paper arguing that digital computers could take over communication functions, presaging the rise of email, messaging, and other internet-enabled applications.

  • Farber started his career at Bell Laboratories in the mid-1950s.
  • In the late 1960s, Farber joined the RAND Corporation in Southern California.
  • Farber took a job as chief technologist for the Federal Communications Commission from 2000 to 2001.
  • Farber had been teaching at Keio University in Tokyo since 2018.
  • Farber died on Feb. 7, 2026 in Tokyo at the age of 91.

The players

David J. Farber

A professor of computer networks who was known as the 'grandfather of the internet' for his influential work and the students he trained.

Jonathan Postel

A Ph.D. student of Farber's who made seminal contributions to the Internet Protocol.

Paul Mockapetris

Another Farber student who helped design the Domain Name System (DNS), the address directory of the internet.

Paul Baran

An engineer who collaborated with Farber on a 1977 paper arguing that digital computers could take over communication functions.

Emanuel Farber

Farber's son, who said the apparent cause of his father's death was heart failure.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“It was the day when all the universities in the U.S. suddenly had computer science departments, but the researchers were scattered, and you couldn't do research unless you could talk to each other. But if you were on the Arpanet, you could communicate with people. The idea was to supply every computer science department in the U.S. with the capability of talking to each other at least with emails, and hopefully more.”

— David J. Farber (Keio University)

“I don't think anyone in the early days thought there was going to be a commercial application for what they were building. It's a research project.”

— David J. Farber (Hightechforum.org)

“There's a lot of working with people that goes into a technical project. A lot of this wasn't tinkering in the lab. It's writing proposals. Without someone doing that and without someone knowing the people selecting the project, it doesn't happen. Through all of this talking with people, these projects happen, and it becomes an internet.”

— Emanuel Farber, Farber's son (Interview)

The takeaway

Farber's legacy as the 'grandfather of the internet' underscores the critical role that visionary researchers, professors, and their students play in shaping the technologies that transform society. His work and mentorship laid the foundations for the global communication network we rely on today, demonstrating the profound impact that can come from bridging technical innovation with human-centered thinking.