Systems and methods for routing by network devices

A network device and associated methods are provided. The network device includes a routing module having a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM) module maintained for storing a plurality of entries for routing frames that are received for a plurality of sub-ports complying with a plurality of protocols; a steering action memory that stores a plurality of steering action codes associated with the plurality of TCAM entries for tossing frames, rejecting frames and providing them to a processor for the network device, indicating that a destination is valid, and indicating to use another routing mechanism; and a steering mechanism that is used when a received frame information does not match with the TCAM entries and the received frame is of a certain protocol type.