A method and system for processing received and transmit data by an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) from a network link. The method for received data includes swapping received data polarity if swap-polarity ability is set and swapping byte lanes for the received data if swap-lane ability is set. The method for transmit data includes swapping byte lanes for transmit data, if swap-byte lane ability is set and swapping data polarity if swap-polarity ability is set. The ASIC includes a network connector that receives and transmits data from the network link.