Apparatus and method for processing encrypted packets in a computer network device

An architecture for a network access server, the architecture comprising:

• a first network interface device for communicating with a first network having a first protocol type, where the first network interface device has a first interface terminal for coupling to the first network and a second interface terminal, and where the first network device is configured to perform processing for the first protocol type for data packets exchanged between the first and second interface terminals of the first network device;
• a second network interface device for communicating with a second network having a second protocol type, where the second network interface device has a first interface terminal for coupling to the second network and a second interface terminal coupled to the second interface terminal of the first network device, and where the second network device is configured to perform processing for the second protocol type for a first type of data packet exchanged between the first and second interface terminals of the second network device;
• a third network interface device for communicating with the second network, where the third network interface device has a first interface terminal for coupling to the second network, a second interface terminal coupled to the second interface terminal of the first network device, and a third interface terminal coupled to the first interface terminal of the second network device, and where the third network device is configured to perform processing for the second protocol type for a second type of data packet exchanged between the first and second interface terminals of the third network device, the third network interface device being further configured to detect reception of the firs type of data packet at the first interface terminal of the third network interface device and route the first type of data packet to the third interface terminal of the third network interface device;
• and
• wherein the first protocol type of the first network is a first real-time sensitive protocol and the second protocol type is a second real-time sensitive protocol configured to route each data packet to a destination address included in each data packet.