Embodiments relate to an apparatus for a regenerative network node between a first and a second link portion. The apparatus comprises an input configured to receive, from the first link portion, a signal impaired by the first link portion, the signal including a data packet with a Forward Error Correction (FEC) encoded payload portion and a header portion. The apparatus comprises a signal regeneration unit configured to mitigate signal impairments of the first link portion to provide a regenerated FEC encoded payload portion. The apparatus comprises a processing unit configured to extract destination information in the data packet's header portion. If extracted destination information indicates that the data packet's destination is the regenerative network node, the data packet's regenerated FEC encoded payload portion is forwarded to a decoding unit of the regenerative network node. Else, the data packet's regenerated FEC encoded payload portion is forwarded to the second link portion.