The story of 3Com, a company that played a pivotal role in shaping the modern networking landscape, is a fascinating tale of innovation, ambition, and disruption. Founded by Robert Metcalfe, the inventor of Ethernet, 3Com was instrumental in developing the technology that enabled computers to communicate with each other. The company's early success was fueled by its pioneering work in local area networks (LANs) and its development of Ethernet adapter cards, software, and other networking solutions. However, as the tech industry evolved, 3Com struggled to adapt, and the rise of the internet and TCP/IP protocol posed significant challenges. Despite attempts to revive its fortunes, including the acquisition of Palm Computing and USRobotics, 3Com ultimately succumbed to the competitive pressures of the tech industry and was acquired by Hewlett-Packard in 2009. Today, the legacy of 3Com lives on in the billions of devices that rely on Ethernet to communicate, a testament to the company's enduring impact on the tech world.