A method of providing network communications includes receiving, at a second device via a virtual network connection associated with virtual dispersive routing (VDR) software that virtualizes network capabilities of the second device, a packet communicated from a first device over a connection path comprising a plurality of other devices, the packet including a header and a payload, the payload including data appended thereto by one or more devices of the plurality of devices; and determining, at the second device by the VDR software, whether the connection path satisfies one or more requirements of an application running on the second device, the determination being based at least in part on the data appended to the payload by the one or more devices of the plurality of other devices.