Abstract: A system is provided for transferring data from a first network, which is packet based, to a second network. The system includes a physical layer input device, an input FIFO, a DMA controller for transferring data between addresses, an output FIFO, and a physical layer output device. The physical layer input device places beginning and end markers around packets in the input FIFO, and the DMA controller monitors the data which it transfers, and transfers data between said beginning and end markers, and ceases a transfer when an end of packet marker is reached.