A computer system to efficiently process packets received over a network operating in accordance with a layered protocol. The system includes logic that provides combined processing to determine whether a received packet complies with multiple requirements of the layered protocol. Combined processing determines compliance with requirements at more than one of the protocol layers of the layered protocol. If the combined processing does not verify compliance with all of the requirements of a protocol layer, those requirements may be verified in a layered fashion following the combined processing. In this way, greater efficiencies may be achieved through the combined processing of requirements from multiple protocol layers, but advantages of implementing a layered protocol in a modular fashion may still be retained.