Network layer mobility: An architecture and survey

In this article we explore various network layer concepts that play a crucial role in the design of mobile networking systems. We show that mobility is essentially an address translation problem and is best resolved at the network layer. We describe services that must be supported at the network layer to carry out the task of address translation. Using these service primitives as building blocks, we describe a network-layer architecture which enables smooth integration of mobile end systems within the existing Internet. A summary of some of the key Mobile IP proposals is presented, and it is shown that each proposal can be viewed as a special case of the architecture outlined in this article.