Some users wish to handle their own unnumbered information packets on the network without the aid of the data link layer within the token-ring data link control (DLCTOKEN). A direct network interface allows an entire packet to be generated and sent by a user after the user service access point (SAP) has been opened. The interface allows full control of every field in the data link header for each write call issued. Also provided is the ability to view the entire packet contents on received frames. The criteria for a direct network write are: