Patent ID: 7564857

Claim:
A router comprising: a processor; only one media access controller connected to the processor; and a switch comprising a plurality of ports, wherein a first port of the plurality of ports and a second port of the plurality of ports communicate with the media access controller, wherein the first port receives data from a first network, the data comprising an internet protocol address, wherein the switch transmits the data from the first port to the media access controller, wherein the media access controller transmits the data to the processor, wherein the processor modifies the internet protocol address, and transmits the data to the media access controller, wherein the media access controller transmits the data to the second port, and wherein the second port transmits the data to a second network, wherein a frame of the data, when received from the first network, comprises a first word comprising a first portion of the internet protocol address and a second word comprising a second portion of the internet protocol address, wherein the switch, before transmitting the data to the media access controller, adds one or more bits to the frame so that the first and second portions of the internet protocol address appear within a single word of the frame, and wherein the switch receives the data from the processor, and removes the one or more bits from the frame before the second port transmits the data to the second network.