1. A communications processor system that provides data communication services for a host processor system so that it may communicate data as part of a network of processors, and that accepts the data and downloaded programming from the host processor system via a host bus, comprising: a communications processor for executing said downloaded programming and for receiving the data to be communicated, according to instructions of said downloaded programming, from the host system to the rest of the network, said communications processor having a status register for providing a status bit; a memory for storing said downloaded programming, said memory having protected space which may not be accessed when controlled by said status bit; a host system interface in data communication with the host processor and with said communications processor by means of the host bus, and having a control register connected to said communications processor and accessible by said host processor system, wherein said control register has a reset bit for controlling whether said communications processor in a reset state during which said host processor system is temporarily not able to communicate with the rest of the network, and wherein said control register has a control bit for controlling whether said communications processor is in a halt state during which direct access to said memory may occur; an internal bus for providing data communications between said communications processor, said host interface, and said memory; and a network interface in communication with said communications processor for receiving data from said communications processor and for delivering said data to said network.