Protocol accelerator and method of using same

In some examples, a protocol accelerator extracts a queue identifier from an incoming packet, for identifying a first buffer queue in which the packet is to be stored for transport layer processing. A packet having an error or condition is identified, such that the accelerator cannot perform the processing on that packet. A processor is interrupted. The identified packet is stored in a second buffer queue. The processor performs transport layer processing in response to the interrupt, while the accelerator continues transport layer processing of packets in the first buffer queue. In some examples, a TCP congestion window size is adjusted. A programmable congestion window increment value is provided. The window size is set to an initial value at the beginning of a TCP data transmission. The window size is increased by the increment value when an acknowledgement is received.