Receiver for decoding data packets, the receiver comprising: a receiving unit , configured to receive a data packet (P1), the data packet (P1) containing a MAC header; a soft decoder , configured to soft decode the data packet (P1) to obtain soft values of the data packet (P1), an error checking module , configured to perform (S2) a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, based on the soft values of the data packet (P1), a hard decoder , configured to perform (S4), if the CRC based on the soft values of the data packet (P1) failed, a first hard decision on the soft values of the data packet (P1) corresponding to the MAC header of the data packet (P1), and a controller configured to, based on the result of the first hard decision, determine whether soft values of a previous transmission of the data packet (P1) are stored in a memory of the receiver and to combine (S7) said stored soft values with the soft values of the data packet (P1) to obtain combined soft values; wherein the error checking module is further configured to perform (S8) a CRC based on the combined soft values; the receiver characterised in that the controller is configured to parse the result of the first hard decision to determine at least a source address and a target address contained in the MAC header of the data packet (P1); and wherein the controller is further configured to decide that soft values of a previous transmission of the data packet (P1) are stored in the memory if the determined source address and target address match a source address and a target address of a data packet soft values of which are already stored in the memory . a receiving unit , configured to receive a data packet (P1), the data packet (P1) containing a MAC header; a soft decoder , configured to soft decode the data packet (P1) to obtain soft values of the data packet (P1), an error checking module , configured to perform (S2) a cyclic redundancy check, CRC, based on the soft values of the data packet (P1), a hard decoder , configured to perform (S4), if the CRC based on the soft values of the data packet (P1) failed, a first hard decision on the soft values of the data packet (P1) corresponding to the MAC header of the data packet (P1), and a controller configured to, based on the result of the first hard decision, determine whether soft values of a previous transmission of the data packet (P1) are stored in a memory of the receiver and to combine (S7) said stored soft values with the soft values of the data packet (P1) to obtain combined soft values; wherein the error checking module is further configured to perform (S8) a CRC based on the combined soft values; the receiver characterised in that the controller is configured to parse the result of the first hard decision to determine at least a source address and a target address contained in the MAC header of the data packet (P1); and wherein the controller is further configured to decide that soft values of a previous transmission of the data packet (P1) are stored in the memory if the determined source address and target address match a source address and a target address of a data packet soft values of which are already stored in the memory . <EOS>