One embodiment of the present invention provides a system for improving transmission efficiency of a wireless link. During operation, the system receives a packet for transmission, where in the packet includes an original sequence number. The system then modifies the packet by including a virtual sequence number in a header of the packet and including the original sequence number in a payload of the modified packet. The system further aggregates a number of modified packets into an aggregate frame and transmits the aggregate frame to a destination device. The virtual sequence number facilitates stateless transmission of the encapsulated packets and allows the aggregate frame to have a maximum allowable number of packets while accommodating both re-transmitted packets and regular packets.