A method and apparatus for transmitting data wherein it is possible to transmit data on the basis of hardware addresses from a source network device to a destination network device. The source network device assigns the data to be transmitted a fictitious hardware address which is used to identify a transmission destination without matching the latter's real hardware address prescribed by the manufacturer. The fictitious hardware address is transferred to an inventive address conversion apparatus in which the fictitious hardware address has been assigned an address information item identifying the destination network device. The address information item associated with the fictitious hardware address is then assigned to the data, which are forwarded to the destination network device using this address information item.