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A method and apparatus for communicating fixed-length data packets through an intermediate computer network. The method comprises receiving a data packet characterized by a fixed-length packet format, and constructing a remnant packet characterized by the fixed-length packet format, which includes i

A method and apparatus for communicating fixed-length data packets through an intermediate computer network. The method comprises receiving a data packet characterized by a fixed-length packet format, and constructing a remnant packet characterized by the fixed-length packet format, which includes inserting at least a portion of the data packet routing information in the data field of the remnant packet. The method also comprises communicating the remnant packet, receiving the remnant packet and constructing a reconstructed data packet, which includes Inserting data packet routing information obtained from the remnant packet in the address field of the reconstructed packet. The apparatus comprises a communication network node comprising a receiver, transmitter, computer memory and processor for performing the foregoing method steps.

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1. A method for sending a data packet through an intermediate communication network that uses internal routing incompatible with the data packet, the method comprising:receiving an original data packet characterized, by a fixed-length packet format defining an address field and a data field, the ori

1. A method for sending a data packet through an intermediate communication network that uses internal routing incompatible with the data packet, the method comprising:receiving an original data packet characterized, by a fixed-length packet format defining an address field and a data field, the original data packet carrying original data packet routing information in the address field and original data packet information in the data field; constructing a remnant packet characterized by the same fixed-length by the packet format as that of the original data packet, including a remnant packet data field and a remnant packet address field by inserting at least a original packet routing information in the remnant packet data field; constructing a subsequence remnant packet characterized by the fixed-fixed packet format by inserting a second portion of the original data packet information in the data field of the subsequent remnant packet; and sending the remnant packet through the intermediate communication network, 2. The method of claim 1, wherein constructing a first remnant packet further comprises:inserting a first portion of the original data packet data information in the remnant packet data field. 3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:when the original data packet and a prior original data packet form part of a common message, inserting at least a portion of a prior original data packet data field in the remnant packet data field. 4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:receiving a subsequent original data packet characterized by the fixed-length packet format, the subsequent original data packet subsequent original data packet routing information in the address field; and inserting at least a position of the subsequent of original packet routing information in the data field of the subsequent remnant packet. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein:receiving an original data packet comprises receiving an original ATM cell including a VCI; and constructing a remnant packet further comprises inserting the VCI from the original ATM cell in the data field of the remnant packet. 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:when the address field of the original data packet includes sufficient available space for subsequent routing of the original data packet in the intermediate communication network, sending the original data packet without the remnant packet. 7. The method of claim 1, further comprising setting remnant packet flag in the remnant packet.8. A method for receiving a data packet from an intermediate communication network, the method comprising:receiving a current remnant packet characterized by a fixed-length packet format defining an address field and a data field, the current remnant packet carrying remnant routing information in the address field and remnant data information the data field; and building a reconstructed data packet characterized by the same fixed-length packet format as that of the received current remnant packet by identifying original data packet routing information contained in the data field of the current remnant packet; inserting the original data packet routing information in the address field of the reconstructed data packet; and when the current remnant packet and a prior remnant packet form part of a common message, storing at least a portion of prior remnant packet data information in the data field of the reconstructed data packet. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein building a reconstructed data packet further comprises:identifying original data packet data information contained in the data field of the current remnant packet; and inserting at least a first portion of the original data packet data information in the formation in the data field of the reconstructed data packet. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising storing at least portion of original data packet data information from a prior remnant packet in the field of the reconstructed data packet.11. The method of claim 8, wherein receiving a first remnant packet comprises:receiving a data packet; determining if the data packet is a remnant packet; and when the data packet is not a remnant packet, sending the data packet without building a reconstructed data packet. 12. The method of claim 8, wherein:receiving a remnant packet comprises receiving a remnant ATM cell; and constructing a reconstructed data packet comprises: constructing a reconstructed ATM cell; retrieving a VCI from the data field of the remnant ATM cell; and inserting the VCI in the VCI field of the reconstructed ATM cell. 13. A method for receiving a data packet comprising:receiving a current remnant packet characterized by a fored-length packet format defining an address field and a data field, the current remnant packet carrying remnant routing information in the address field and remnant data information in the data field; and building a reconstructed data packet characterized by the fixed-length packet format by; identifying original data packet routing information contained in the data field of the current remnant packet; inserting the original data packet routing information in the address field of the reconstructed data packet; and when the current remnant packet and a prior remnant packet form part of a common message, storing at least a portion of prior remnant packet data information in the data field of the reconstructed data packet; and comparing the remnant routing information to stored packet routing information to determine when the prior remnant packet and the current remnant packet form part of the common message. 14. A method for receiving a data packet comprising:receiving a current remnant packet characterized by a fixed-length packet format defining an address field and a data field, the current remnant packet carrying remnant routing information in the address field and remnant data information in the data field; and building a reconstructed data packet characterized by the fixed-length packet format by; identifying original data packet routing information contained in the data field of the current remnant packet; inserting the original data packet routing information in the address field of the reconstructed data packet; identifying original data packet data information contained in the data field of the current remnant packet; inserting at least a first portion of the original data packet information in the data field of the reconstructed data packet; and storing at least a portion of original data packet data information from a prior remnant packet in the data field of the reconstructed data packet; receiving a subsequent remnant packet; inserting a first portion of data information from the data of the subsequent remnant packet in the data field of the reconstructed data packet; and constructing a second reconstructed data packet according to the fixed-length packet format by: identifying subsequent original data packet routing information contained in the data field of the subsequent remnant packet; inserting the subsequent original data packet routing information in the address field of the second reconstructed data packet; and inserting at least a second portion of data information from the data field of the subsequent remnant packet in the data field of the second reconstructed data packet. 15. A communication network node for communicating data packets from an external communication network to an intermediate communication network that uses internal routing incompatible with external communication network, the communication network node comprising:a receiver for receiving from the external communication network an original data packet characterized by a fixed-length packet format defining an original address field and an original data field a processor coupled to said receiver and operable to construct a remnant packet for transmission through the intermediate communication network using the same fixed-length packet format as that of the data packet, including a remnant address field and a remnant data field, by moving at least a portion of the original address field into the remnant data field; and means for constructing a subsequence remnant packet characterized by fixed-fixed packet format by inserting a second portion of the original data packet information in the data field of subsequent remnant packet. 16. The communication network of claim 15, wherein said fixed-length pocket format is ATM, and the remnant data field comprises at least a portion of a VCI from the original data packet.17. The communication network node of claim 15, wherein the processor is operable to send the original data packet without first constructing a remnant packet when the original address field includes sufficient available space for subsequent routing in the intermediate communication network.18. The communication network node a claim 15, wherein the remnant packet comprises a remnant packet flag.19. A communication network node for communicating data packets to an external communication network from an intermediate communication network that uses internal routing incompatible with external communication network, the communication network node comprising:a receiver for receiving a remnant packet after transmission through the intermediate communication network using a fixed-length packet format defining a remnant address field and a remnant data field the remnant address field comprising remnant packet routing information and the remnant data field comprising original data packet routing information arid original data packet data information; and a processor operable to form a reconstructed data packet characterized by the same fixed-length packet format as that of the remnant packet; including a reconstructed address field and a reconstructed data field, the reconstructed address field comprising original packet routing information from the remnant data field. 20. The communication network node of claim 19, wherein the reconstructed data field comprises at least a portion of the original data packet data information.21. The communication network node of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operable to insert stored data information from a prior associated remnant packet in the reconstructed data field.22. The communication network node of claim 19, wherein said receiver receives a subsequent remnant packet including a subsequent data field, and said processor forms subsequent reconstructed data packet according to the fixed-length packet format, including a subsequent reconstructed data field comprising original data packet data information from the remnant packet at least portion of the subsequent data field.23. The communication network node of claim 19, wherein the processor is further operable to send the received data packet without constructing a reconstruction data packet when the received data packet is not a remnant packet.24. The communication network node of claim 19, wherein said remnant packet is an ATM cell, and said reconstructed data packet is an ATM cell comprising a VCI field including VCI information from the remnant data field.