Abstract: A computer system, program product, and method of communicating internetworking data over a master-slave communication link utilize a device driver in a workstation coupled to a multi-drop master-slave communication link to forward internetwork datagrams to the network interface of the workstation in a format defined by an internetworking protocol in response to receipt thereof of data segments transmitted over the master-slave communication link that are encapsulated in a header native to the multi-drop master-slave communication link. A host computer coupled to the workstation over the multi-drop master-slave communication link maps the hardware address of the workstation to a network address consistent with the internetworking protocol, and initiates a communication session with the workstation using this mapped network address so that the network interface of the workstation can recognize the network address as its assigned address.