Origins of TCP/IP
TCP/IP invention and evolution resulted from a coordinated effort by the DOD.
The DOD had a research branch named ARPA. ARPA was charged with creating a wide area network capable of surviving a nuclear attack. One of the results of the initial research was the TCP/IP protocol suite.
ARPA chose four university sites to help formulate the initial network. These sites were initially connected with 50 kilobits per second leased lines, which formed the ARPANET.
The U.S. Government never classified or restricted the technology used to create the network.