A network interface driver embodied in a processor readable medium comprising executable program instruction that, when executed by a processor, independently process internetworking protocols for a hot computer (or other network access device) with another computer on a remote network. The driver appears to the operating system as a regular network interface driver, but it can support enhanced kernel-level internetworking protocols by using a state machine to generate, drop, and change incoming and outgoing IP packets in a manner transparent to the operating system.