SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                        Washington, D.C. 20594


                             SCHEDULE 13G

               Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934


                           (Amendment No. )*



                             3Com Corporation

                             (Name of Issuer)

                               Common Stock

                      (Title of Class of Securities)

                                885535104

                              (CUSIP Number)


Check the following box if a fee is being paid with this statement [ ].
(A fee is not required only if the filing person: (1) has a previous
statement on file reporting beneficial ownership of more than five
percent of the class of securities described in Item 1: and (2) has
filed no amendment subsequent thereto reporting beneficial ownership of
five percent or less of such class.) (See Rule 13d-7).

*The remainder of this cover page shall be filled out for a reporting
person's initial filing on this form with respect to the subject class
of securities, and for any subsequent amendment containing information
which would alter the disclosures provided in a prior cover page.

The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not
be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of
that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of
the Act (however, see the Notes).



























 1   NAME OF REPORTING PERSON
     S.S. OR I.R.S. IDENTIFICATION NO. OF ABOVE PERSON
     Capital Research and Management Company
     95-1411037

 2   CHECK THE APPROPRIATE BOX IF A MEMBER OF A GROUP*
                                                                    (a)

                                                                    (b)

 3   SEC USE ONLY




 4   CITIZENSHIP OR PLACE OF ORGANIZATION

     Delaware


              5   SOLE VOTING POWER

                  NONE


              6   SHARED VOTING POWER
 NUMBER OF
   SHARES
                  NONE
BENEFICIALL
 Y OWNED BY
              7   SOLE DISPOSITIVE POWER
    EACH
 REPORTING
                  23,065,000
PERSON WITH


              8   SHARED DISPOSITIVE POWER

                  NONE


 9   AGGREGATE AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED BY EACH REPORTING PERSON

     23,065,000   Beneficial ownership disclaimed pursuant to Rule 13d-4


 10  CHECK BOX IF THE AGGREGATE AMOUNT IN ROW (9) EXCLUDES CERTAIN SHARES*




 11  PERCENT OF CLASS REPRESENTED BY AMOUNT IN ROW 9

     6.7%


 12  TYPE OF REPORTING PERSON*

     IA


                  *SEE INSTRUCTION BEFORE FILLING OUT











                  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                         Washington, DC 20549

                             Schedule 13G
               Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Amendment No.

Item 1(a)   Name of Issuer:
       3Com Corporation

Item 1(b)   Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices:
       5400 Bayfront Plaza
       Santa Clara, CA  95052

Item 2(a)   Name of Person(s) Filing:
       Capital Research and Management Company

Item 2(b)   Address of Principal Business Office:
       333 South Hope Street
       Los Angeles, CA  90071

Item 2(c)   Citizenship:   N/A

Item 2(d)   Title of Class of Securities:
       Common Stock

Item 2(e)   CUSIP Number:
       885535104

Item 3   The person(s) filing is(are):

       (e)    [X]   Investment Adviser registered under Section 203 of
            the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.

Item 4   Ownership

       Capital Research and Management Company, an investment adviser
       registered under Section 203 of the Investment Advisers Act of
       1940 is deemed to be the beneficial owner of 23,065,000 shares
       or 6.7% of the 345,029,000 shares of Common Stock believed to
       be outstanding as a result of acting as investment adviser to
       various investment companies registered under Section 8 of the
       Investment Company Act of 1940.

Item 5   Ownership of 5% or Less of a Class: [ ]

Item 6   Ownership of More than 5% on Behalf of Another Person: N/A

Item 7   Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary Which
       Acquired the Security Being Reported on By the Parent Holding
       Company: N/A

Item 8   Identification and Classification of Members of the Group:
       N/A

Item 9   Notice of Dissolution of the Group:  N/A

Item 10   Certification



CUSIP: 885535104                                                Page 3 of 4

       and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired in
       the ordinary course of business and were not acquired for the
       purpose of and do not have the effect of changing or
       influencing the control of the issuer of such securities and
       were not acquired in connection with or as a participant in any
       transaction having such purpose or effect.

   Signature

       After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and
       belief, I certify that the information set forth in this
       statement is true, complete and correct.



        Date:          February 10, 2000 (For the period ended
                       December 31, 1999)


        Signature:     *Paul G. Haaga, Jr.

        Name/Title:    Paul G. Haaga, Jr., Executive Vice
                       President

                       Capital Research and Management Company




        *By

               James P. Ryan
               Attorney-in-fact

               Signed pursuant to a Power of Attorney dated January 18,
               2000 included as an Exhibit to Schedule 13G filed with
               the Securities and Exchange Commission by Capital
               Research and Management Company on February 10, 2000
               with respect to 3COM Corporation

                         POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The undersigned do hereby appoint James P. Ryan, Angela
Mitchell and Michele Yuen Yang, and each of them, acting singly,
with full power of substitution, as the true and lawful attorney of
the undersigned, to sign on behalf of the undersigned in respect of
the ownership of equity securities deemed held by the undersigned,
Capital Research and Managment Company, AMCAP Fund, Inc., American
Balanced Fund, Inc., American Mutual Fund, Inc., American Variable
Insurance Series (Growth Fund, International Fund, Growth-Income
Fund, Asset Allocation Fund, Global Growth Fund, Global Small
Capitalization Fund), Capital Income Builder, Inc., Capital World
Growth and Income Fund, Inc., EuroPacific Growth Fund, Fundamental
Investors, Inc., The Growth Fund of America, Inc., The Income Fund
of America. Inc., The Investment Company of America, The New
Economy Fund, New Perspective Fund, Inc., SMALLCAP World Fund,
Inc., and Washington Mutual Investors Fund, Inc., and to be
reported pursuant to Sections 13(d), 13(f) and 13(g) of the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and to execute joint
filing agreements with respect to such filings.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, this Power of Attorney, has been executed
as of the 29th day of January, 1999.

Capital Research and Management Company
/s/ Paul G.  Haaga, Jr.
Name: Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Title:Executive Vice President


AMCAP Fund, Inc.
American Balanced Fund, Inc.
Fundamental Investors, Inc.
The Growth Fund of America, Inc.
The Income Fund of America, Inc.
/s/ Paul G.  Haaga, Jr.
Name: Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Title: Senior Vice President


American Mutual Fund, Inc.
/s/ Timothy D. Armour
Name: Timothy D. Armour
Title: Senior Vice President


American Variable Insurance Series
/s/ Michael J.  Downer
Name: Michael J.  Downer
Title:Vice President


Capital Income Builder, Inc.
/s/ Paul G.  Haaga, Jr.
Name: Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Title: Chairman


Capital World Growth and Income Fund, Inc.


/s/ Paul G.  Haaga, Jr.
Name: Paul G. Haaga, Jr.
Title: President


EuroPacific Growth Fund
/s/ Robert W.  Lovelace
Name: Robert W. Lovelace
Title: Senior Vice President


The Investment Company of America
/s/ Anne M.  Llewellyn
Name: Anne M.  Llewellyn
Title:Vice President


The New Economy Fund
SMALLCAP World Fund, Inc.
/s/ Vincent P.  Corti
Name: Vincent P. Corti
Title:Vice President


New Perspective Fund, Inc.
/s/ Catherine M.  Ward
Name: Catherine M. Ward
Title: Vice President


 Washington Mutual Investors Fund, Inc.
/s/ Howard L.  Kitzmiller
Name: Howard L. Kitzmiller
Title: Senior Vice President,
       Secretary and Assistant Treasurer