3Com Corporation

Ghost Corp Apparel — resurrecting iconic corporate ghosts.

Founded on June 4, 1979, 3Com Corporation grew from the Ethernet ambitions of co-founder Robert Metcalfe into one of the defining names in computer networking. Its name condensed “Computer, Communication, Compatibility”—a very 1979 attempt to fit the future onto a business card. From Santa Clara, California, 3Com helped put network interface cards, Ethernet gear, switches, routers, and other crucial beige-box infrastructure into offices everywhere.

The company expanded aggressively through the 1980s and 1990s, including its 1997 merger with U.S. Robotics. That deal brought dial-up-modem hardware and Palm into the fold: a glorious collision of network cards, screeching modem handshakes, and pocket-computer ambition. Palm was separated from 3Com in 2000, while 3Com returned its focus to networking.

In 2003, 3Com relocated its corporate headquarters from Silicon Valley to Marlborough, Massachusetts. It later built a major China presence through H3C and added network-security muscle through its TippingPoint business. On April 12, 2010, Hewlett-Packard completed its acquisition of 3Com, folding its switching, routing, and security portfolio into HP’s networking operation.

Our 3Com Corporation collection celebrates the cables, cards, blinking lights, and earnest infrastructure that made modern connected life possible—before Wi-Fi became invisible and everybody forgot who did the heavy lifting.