David J. Farber, Pioneering Computer Networks Scholar, Dies at 91

David J. Farber died on 7 February 2026 in Tokyo at the age of 91. His son, Emanuel Farber, said the apparent cause was heart failure. Farber had been a professor of computer networks at Keio University since 2018.

New York Times

Farber entered the field in the mid-1950s as a researcher at Bell Laboratories, when computers were isolated machines that communicated only via Teletype or punch-card readers. He later helped merge communication and computation, contributing to the design of the Internet Protocol (IP). In the early 1970s, Farber and his Ph.D. student Jonathan Postel met weekly at a Southern California pancake house to refine packet-switching rules; those sessions produced many of the protocols that still govern today’s internet.

New York Times

Key individuals include Emanuel Farber, Jonathan Postel, and the cohort of scholars later called “the fathers of the Internet Protocol.” Central institutions are Bell Laboratories, where Farber began his research, and Keio University, where he taught his final eight years. Colleagues often described him as gregarious and referred to him as the grandfather of the internet.

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• Mid-1950s: Joined Bell Laboratories, beginning work on early networking concepts.

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• Early 1970s: Weekly protocol-design meetings with Postel in Southern California.

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• 2018: Appointed professor of computer networks at Keio University, Tokyo.

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• 7 Feb 2026: Passed away in Tokyo, age 91.

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• Age at death: 91.

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• Career span: Approximately 70 years.

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• Keio tenure: 8 years (2018-2026).

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• Weekly meetings: early 1970s, shaping core internet standards.

New York Times

Farber’s work laid the protocols that enable global data exchange. By mentoring the architects of IP, he amplified his influence beyond his own research, ensuring the internet’s technical foundations underpin modern data exchange. The “grandfather of the internet” label captures his broad impact on both technology and the generations of engineers he taught.

New York Times

Emanuel Farber confirmed his father’s death resulted from heart failure. No governmental or institutional statements were released in the immediate reporting.

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The available sources do not present any criticism or opposing viewpoints regarding Farber’s career or legacy.

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All sources agree on the date, location, and cause of death; no contradictory accounts were identified. Details about any underlying health conditions beyond heart failure remain unspecified.

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• “I ended up gaining 10 pounds,” — David J. Farber, professor, Keio University

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• “grandfather of the internet” — description used in multiple tributes

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• “an early architect” — phrase employed by The New York Times to characterize his role

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Farber’s teachings continue to appear in computer-network curricula worldwide, and his former students remain active in advancing internet standards and research.

New York Times