A shared buffer packet switching device is provided for receiving data packets via associated ones of a plurality of receive ports, and for transmitting data packets via associated selected ones of a plurality of transmit port. The device includes: a shared buffer unit for temporarily storing at least a portion of each of a plurality of the data packets received via the receive ports, the shared buffer including a plurality of word locations each being associated with a shared buffer memory address value, and having an associated word storage space, the word storage spaces defining a shared buffer memory width; a tail buffer for temporarily storing remainder portions of selected ones of the received data packets, the tail buffer including a plurality of tail buffer locations each being associated with a tail buffer memory address value, and an associated tail data storage space, the tail data storage spaces defining a tail buffer memory width; and a source managing unit for receiving packets via the input ports, and being operative to store each of the received packets in selected ones of the word locations and the tail buffer locations.