A method and apparatus for transferring a frame of data from a first network to a second network. The method includes adding a first steering header to a frame of data received by a first port that is destined for the second network. The method further includes selecting a first receive queue of a plurality of receive queues based on one or more of (i) a database number, (ii) a priority bit, and (iii) a source port identifier of the first steering header; loading the frame of data into the first receive queue; and replacing the first steering header with a second steering header. The second steering header comprises the database number and a virtual local area network table vector. The method further includes determining the second port as a destination port for the frame of data based on the database number and the virtual local area network table vector.