Abstract: A variable latency cut through bridge (210) for selectively forwarding data packets (10) within a network (310) of computers (312), the variable latency cut through bridge (210) employing a variable latency bridging method wherein the latency factor of the variable latency cut through bridge (210) is set according to the position of a variable threshold point (428). The variable threshold point (428) is optionally set to within a rapid drop off portion (520) of a probability line (514) describing the probability that the data packet (10) is bad as a function of the amount of the packet (10) which has been examined within the variable latency cut through bridge (210).

Abstract: An improved partial packet filter (10) for filtering data packets (210) in a computer network (12) wherein a candidate field (413) of the data packet (210) is hashed to a plurality of bit-wise subsets (636) each being an independent representation of the candidate field (413). Each of the bit-wise subsets (636) is compared to a reference hash table (644) which has been prepared in a preliminary operation series (514). The preliminary operation series (512) configures a plurality of target fields (714) to set selected memory locations (312) in the reference hash table (644).