Mechanisms for communicating with a network adapter using a queue data structure are provided. A device driver invokes device driver services for initializing address translation and protection table (ATPT) entries in a root complex for the queue data structure. The device driver services return untranslated addresses to the device driver which are in turn provided to the network adapter. In response to retrieving a queue element from the queue data structure, the network adapter may request a translation of an untranslated address specified in the queue element and store the translated address in the network adapter prior to receiving a data packet targeting a buffer associated with the queue element.