Abstract: An interface module and associated software connect a broad range of computer systems to a real time local area network. It connects to a host computer system that needs only to use parallel data input/output ports in order to communicate with the module. Hardware on the interface module accomplishes transmitting data to and receiving data from the local area network, all of these transfers of data being via a buffer memory. The interface module is capable of transmitting and receiving serial data at a rate of ten megabits per second, can store approximately 14 kilobytes of this data internally in the buffer memory, and can then transfer the data to or from a host computer system at a rate of 16 bits every 719 nanoseconds. A graphics processor is used to drive real-time graphics displays in the cockpit of a simulator and the module of this invention interfaces the graphics processor to a minicomputer.