An internet protocol, IP, content router, comprising: a forwarding information base, FIB, engine comprising a data store comprising forwarding instructions; an IP packet classifier comprising a processor configured to classify a first incoming IP packet as an information centric networking, ICN, packet and a second incoming IP packet as a non-ICN packet, wherein the ICN packet is one of an IP interest, IP-I, packet and an IP content, IP-C, packet; and an IP packet processor comprising a processor, wherein the IP packet processor is coupled to the FIB engine and to the IP packet classifier, wherein the IP packet processor is configured to: intercept the ICN packet for further ICN processing in the IP content router; consult the FIB engine for forwarding instructions for the non-ICN packet; and forward the non-ICN packet according to the forwarding instructions; wherein the IP content router further comprises an IP protocol classifier coupled to the IP packet classifier, wherein the IP protocol classifier is configured to classify the ICN packet based on an identity of one of a plurality of session level protocols; and the IP content router further comprises a plurality of application processing engines, APEs, (118, 120, 122, 124) coupled to the IP protocol classifier, wherein each of the APEs corresponds to a session level protocol, and wherein each of the APEs is configured to interpret a name in an IP-I packet corresponding to its session level protocol and respond to a request for content if the content is contained within an application content store. a forwarding information base, FIB, engine comprising a data store comprising forwarding instructions; an IP packet classifier comprising a processor configured to classify a first incoming IP packet as an information centric networking, ICN, packet and a second incoming IP packet as a non-ICN packet, wherein the ICN packet is one of an IP interest, IP-I, packet and an IP content, IP-C, packet; and an IP packet processor comprising a processor, wherein the IP packet processor is coupled to the FIB engine and to the IP packet classifier, wherein the IP packet processor is configured to: intercept the ICN packet for further ICN processing in the IP content router; consult the FIB engine for forwarding instructions for the non-ICN packet; and forward the non-ICN packet according to the forwarding instructions; intercept the ICN packet for further ICN processing in the IP content router; consult the FIB engine for forwarding instructions for the non-ICN packet; and forward the non-ICN packet according to the forwarding instructions; wherein the IP content router further comprises an IP protocol classifier coupled to the IP packet classifier, wherein the IP protocol classifier is configured to classify the ICN packet based on an identity of one of a plurality of session level protocols; and the IP content router further comprises a plurality of application processing engines, APEs, (118, 120, 122, 124) coupled to the IP protocol classifier, wherein each of the APEs corresponds to a session level protocol, and wherein each of the APEs is configured to interpret a name in an IP-I packet corresponding to its session level protocol and respond to a request for content if the content is contained within an application content store.