The Communications and Computing Systems Laboratory began as Project PANGLOSS under Ralph S. Holmes in 1959. PANGLOSS was a U.S. Navy funded program to study communications techniques for use in the Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM).

Soon after its establishment, PANGLOSS absorbed the Radio Research Laboratory (formerly the Radio Systems Research Laboratory) under David D. Holmes. It was renamed the Special Projects Laboratory (not to be confused with the mid-1950s lab of the same name) in 1963 and completed work on PANGLOSS at the end of the year, but continued to focus on defense communications research.

In 1966, the lab was renamed the Communications Research Laboratory and Kerns H. Powers was appointed director. The name change was in recognition of the broadening of its mission beyond defense applications.

Powers led the lab until his promotion to Staff Vice-President, Communications Research in 1977. The lab was renamed the Communication Systems Research Laboratory, but was dissolved a few years later.

In 1983, the Communications Research Laboratory was reestablished under Leonard Schiff as part of the breakup of the Video Systems Research Laboratory directed by Bernard J. Lechner. Schiff led the lab for a decade and was succeeded by John P. Riganati, who remained director of the lab (renamed the Communications and Computing Laboratory in 1995 and the Communications and Computing Systems Laboratory in 1998) until it was combined with part of the Microwave and Optoelectronics Laboratory to create the Communications and Networking Laboratory at the beginning of 1999.