1. A method for transferring network packet data stored in memory to an output device, the method comprising the steps of: concatenating one or more packet data octets from at least a first data word having at least one packet data octet to be included in a network packet to generate a first sequence of packet data octets having an octet length at least as great as an octet length of a data word; storing the first sequence of packet data octets in a FIFO buffer operably connected to the output device when the octet length of the sequence of packet data octets is equal to the octet length of a data word; and storing a first subset of packet data octets from the first sequence of packet data octets in the FIFO buffer and storing a remaining second subset of packet data octets from the first sequence in an alignment register when the octet length of the first sequence of packet data octets exceeds the octet length of a data word, wherein an octet length of the first subset of packet data octets is equal to the octet length of a data word.