Apparatus, and an associated method, facilitates communication of data frames between elemental devices of a network element, such as an IP (Internet Protocol) base transceiver station of a radio communication system which includes a multi-port interface converter and a router device connected by way of an Ethernet connection. Data applied to a port of the interface converter is formatted into a data frame which selectably includes a Q Tag Prefix populated with a VID (Virtual LAN Identifier) defined in the IEEE 802.1 Q standard. If the data to be communicated by the multi-port interface converter is originated at the converter, the data is formatted into a data frame, but the prefix structure is not included, and therefore the frame is not populated with the VID. When the data frame is received at the router device, detection is made as to whether the data frame includes a prefix structure. Routing of the data of the data frame is made responsive to whether the prefix structure is formed of a VID contained in the data frame.