diff --git a/drivers/net/e1000.c b/drivers/net/e1000.c
index 277b7b6c..a4bced37 100644
--- a/drivers/net/e1000.c
+++ b/drivers/net/e1000.c
@@ -199,39 +199,6 @@ static err_t e1000if_output(struct netif* netif, struct pbuf* p)
 	return ERR_OK;
 }
 
-static void e1000if_input(struct netif* netif, struct pbuf* p)
-{
-	struct eth_hdr *ethhdr;
-	err_t	err;
-
-	/* points to packet payload, which starts with an Ethernet header */
-	ethhdr = p->payload;
-
-	switch (htons(ethhdr->type)) {
-	/* IP or ARP packet? */
-	case ETHTYPE_ARP:
-	case ETHTYPE_IP:
-#if PPPOE_SUPPORT
-	/* PPPoE packet? */
-	case ETHTYPE_PPPOEDISC:
-	case ETHTYPE_PPPOE:
-#endif /* PPPOE_SUPPORT */
-		/*
-		 * This function is called in the context of the tcpip thread.
-		 * Therefore, we are able to call directly the input functions.
-		 */
-		err = ethernet_input(p, netif);
-		if (err != ERR_OK) {
-			LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("e1000if_input: ethernet_input failed %d\n", err));
-		}
-		break;
-	default:
-		LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("e1000if_input: invalid ethernet header 0x%x\n", htons(ethhdr->type)));
-		pbuf_free(p);
-		break;
-	}
-}
-
 static void e1000_rx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
 {
 	e1000if_t* e1000if = netif->state;
@@ -268,7 +235,7 @@ static void e1000_rx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
 				LINK_STATS_INC(link.recv);
 
 				// forward packet to LwIP
-				e1000if_input(netif, p);
+				netif->input(p, netif);
 			} else {
 				LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("e1000if_rx_inthandler: not enough memory!\n"));
 				LINK_STATS_INC(link.memerr);
diff --git a/drivers/net/mmnif.c b/drivers/net/mmnif.c
index e6142260..8cf69876 100644
--- a/drivers/net/mmnif.c
+++ b/drivers/net/mmnif.c
@@ -1175,7 +1175,7 @@ anotherpacket:
 	 * This function is called in the context of the tcpip thread.
 	 * Therefore, we are able to call directly the input functions.
 	 */
-	if ((err = ip_input(p, mmnif_dev)) != ERR_OK)
+	if ((err = mmnif_dev->input(p, mmnif_dev)) != ERR_OK)
 	{
 		DEBUGPRINTF("mmnif_rx: IP input error\n");
 		pbuf_free(p);
diff --git a/drivers/net/rckemac.c b/drivers/net/rckemac.c
index bafacfe4..16f42c09 100644
--- a/drivers/net/rckemac.c
+++ b/drivers/net/rckemac.c
@@ -334,39 +334,6 @@ again:
 	return ERR_OK;
 }
 
-static void rckemacif_input(struct netif* netif, struct pbuf* p)
-{
-	struct eth_hdr *ethhdr;
-	err_t err;
- 
-	/* points to packet payload, which starts with an Ethernet header */
-	ethhdr = (struct eth_hdr *) p->payload;
-
-	switch (htons(ethhdr->type)) {
-	/* IP or ARP packet? */
-	case ETHTYPE_ARP:
-	case ETHTYPE_IP:
-#if PPPOE_SUPPORT
-	/* PPPoE packet? */
-	case ETHTYPE_PPPOEDISC:
-	case ETHTYPE_PPPOE:
-#endif /* PPPOE_SUPPORT */
-		/* 
-		 * This function is called in the context of the tcpip thread.
-		 * Therefore, we are able to call directly the input functions.
-		 */
-		err = ethernet_input(p, netif);
-		if (err != ERR_OK) {
-			LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rckemacif_input: ethernet_input failed %d\n", err));
-		}
-		break;
-	default:
-		LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rckemacif_input: invalid ethernet header 0x%x\n", htons(ethhdr->type)));
-		pbuf_free(p);
-		break;
-	}
-}
-
 static void rckemacif_rx_handler(struct netif* netif, unsigned int write_offset)
 {
 	rckemacif_t* rckemacif = netif->state;
@@ -501,7 +468,7 @@ rxDone:
 	rckemacif->rx_read_offset = read_offset;
 
 	if (p) {
-		rckemacif_input(netif, p);
+		netif->input(p, netif);
 		p = NULL;
 	}
 
diff --git a/drivers/net/rtl8139.c b/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
index 4ac26dfe..051c30af 100644
--- a/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
+++ b/drivers/net/rtl8139.c
@@ -133,39 +133,6 @@ static err_t rtl8139if_output(struct netif* netif, struct pbuf* p)
 	return ERR_OK;
 }
 
-static void rtl8139if_input(struct netif* netif, struct pbuf* p)
-{
-	struct eth_hdr *ethhdr;
-	err_t	err;
-
-	/* points to packet payload, which starts with an Ethernet header */
-	ethhdr = p->payload;
-
-	switch (htons(ethhdr->type)) {
-	/* IP or ARP packet? */
-	case ETHTYPE_ARP:
-	case ETHTYPE_IP:
-#if PPPOE_SUPPORT
-	/* PPPoE packet? */
-	case ETHTYPE_PPPOEDISC:
-	case ETHTYPE_PPPOE:
-#endif /* PPPOE_SUPPORT */
-		/*
-		 * This function is called in the context of the tcpip thread.
-		 * Therefore, we are able to call directly the input functions.
-		 */
-		err = ethernet_input(p, netif);
-		if (err != ERR_OK) {
-			LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_input: ethernet_input failed %d\n", err));
-		}
-		break;
-	default:
-		LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139_input: invalid ethernet header 0x%x\n", htons(ethhdr->type)));
-		pbuf_free(p);
-		break;
-	}
-}
-
 static void rtl_rx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
 {
 	rtl1839if_t* rtl8139if = netif->state;
@@ -205,7 +172,7 @@ static void rtl_rx_inthandler(struct netif* netif)
 				LINK_STATS_INC(link.recv);
 
 				// forward packet to LwIP
-				rtl8139if_input(netif, p);
+				netif->input(p, netif);
 			} else {
 				LWIP_DEBUGF(NETIF_DEBUG, ("rtl8139if_rx_inthandler: not enough memory!\n"));
 				rtl8139if->rx_pos += (rtl8139if->rx_pos + length) % RX_BUF_LEN;
diff --git a/kernel/init.c b/kernel/init.c
index af6e227b..c3f6d0e9 100644
--- a/kernel/init.c
+++ b/kernel/init.c
@@ -109,7 +109,9 @@ static int init_netifs(void)
 	netif_set_default(&default_netif);
 	netif_set_up(&default_netif);
 #else
-	if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rckemacif_init, tcpip_input)) != ERR_OK) {
+	/* Note: Our drivers guarantee that the input function will be called in the context of the tcpip thread.
+	 * => Therefore, we are able to use ethernet_input instead of tcpip_input */
+	if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rckemacif_init, ethernet_input)) != ERR_OK) {
 		kprintf("Unable to add the network interface: err = %d\n", err);
 		return -ENODEV;
 	}
@@ -133,15 +135,17 @@ static int init_netifs(void)
 	 * - ipaddr : the ip address wich should be used
 	 * - gw : the gateway wicht should be used
 	 * - mmnif_init : the initialization which has to be done in order to use our interface 
-	 * - ethernet_input : tells him that he should get ethernet input (inclusice ARP)
+	 * - ip_input : tells him that he should use ip_input
          */
 #if NO_SYS
-	netif_add(&mmnif_netif, &intra_ipaddr, &intra_netmask, &intra_gw, NULL, mmnif_init, ethernet_input);
+	netif_add(&mmnif_netif, &intra_ipaddr, &intra_netmask, &intra_gw, NULL, mmnif_init, ip_input);
 
 	/* tell lwip all initialization is done and we want to set it ab */
 	netif_set_up(&mmnif_netif);
 #else
-        if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&mmnif_netif, &intra_ipaddr, &intra_netmask, &intra_gw, NULL, mmnif_init, tcpip_input)) != ERR_OK)
+	/* Note: Our drivers guarantee that the input function will be called in the context of the tcpip thread.
+	 * => Therefore, we are able to use ip_input instead of tcpip_input */
+        if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&mmnif_netif, &intra_ipaddr, &intra_netmask, &intra_gw, NULL, mmnif_init, ip_input)) != ERR_OK)
         {
                 kprintf("Unable to add the intra network interface: err = %d\n", err);
                 return -ENODEV;
@@ -162,9 +166,11 @@ static int init_netifs(void)
 	netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rtl8139if_init, ethernet_input);
 	netif_set_default(&default_netif);
 #else
-	if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rtl8139if_init, tcpip_input)) == ERR_OK)
+	/* Note: Our drivers guarantee that the input function will be called in the context of the tcpip thread.
+	 * => Therefore, we are able to use ethernet_input instead of tcpip_input */
+	if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, rtl8139if_init, ethernet_input)) == ERR_OK)
 		goto success;
-	if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, e1000if_init, tcpip_input)) == ERR_OK)
+	if ((err = netifapi_netif_add(&default_netif, &ipaddr, &netmask, &gw, NULL, e1000if_init, ethernet_input)) == ERR_OK)
 		goto success;
 
 	kprintf("Unable to add the network interface: err = %d\n", err);