Mobile IP

IP
Machines are uniquely identified by IP address. IP machines are fixed in a network or can be portable or nomadic Classless addressing & Classful addressing

IP
IP Address Functions: Network Interface Identification: Like a street address, the IP address provides unique identification of the interface between a device and the network. This is required to ensure that the datagram is delivered to the correct recipients.

Routing: When the source and destination of an IP datagram are not on the same network, the datagram must be delivered indirectly using intermediate systems, a process called routing.

Figure Finding the class in decimal notation

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

Figure Netid and hostid

Class A, B and C addresses are divided into 2 parts: Netid and Hostid.

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

Direct and indirect routing

TCP/IP Host-to-Host, or Transport Layer

Commonly uses transmission control protocol (TCP) Provides reliability during data exchange
End to end communication Completeness Order

Socket
TCP establishes a connection between two a applications . Socket is a combination of IP address and the port number. If we have a Web site running on IP address 41.199.222.3, the socket corresponding to the HTTP server for that site would be 41.199.222.3:80.
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TCP/IP

Mobility and Standard IP Routing

IP assumes end hosts are in fixed physical locations

What happens if we move a host between networks?

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Mobile IP
Mobile IP provides users the freedom to roam beyond their home subnet while consistently maintaining their home IP address. This enables transparent routing of IP data grams to mobile users during their movement, so that data sessions can be initiated to them while they roam

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Mobile IP
Mobile IP was developed as a means for transparently dealing with problems of mobile users Enables hosts to stay connected to the Internet regardless of their location Enables hosts to be tracked without needing to change their IP address Requires no changes to software of non-mobile hosts/routers Requires addition of some infrastructure Has no geographical limitations Requires no modifications to IP addresses or IP address format Supports security
Could be even more important than physically connected routing

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Mobile IP Entities
Mobile Node (MN)
The entity that may change its point of attachment from network to network in the Internet
Detects it has moved and registers with best FA

Assigned a permanent IP called its home address to which other hosts send packets regardless of MNs location
Since this IP doesnt change it can be used by long-lived applications as MNs location changes

Home Agent (HA)

This is router located on home network of MN Does mobility binding of MNs IP with its COA Forwards packets to appropriate network when MN is away
Does this through encapsulation

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Mobile IP Entities contd.

Foreign Agent (FA)
Another router with enhanced functionality If MN is away from HA then it uses an FA to send/receive data to/from HA Advertises itself periodically Forwards MNs registration request Decapsulates messages for delivery to MN

Care-of-address (COA)
Address which identifies MNs current location Sent by FA to HA when MN attaches Usually the IP address of the FA

Correspondent Node (CN)

End host to which MN is corresponding
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Figure Home agent and foreign agent

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

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Home address and care-of address

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

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Mobile IP Support Services

To communicate with a remote host, a mobile host goes through three phases:

Agent Discovery Registration Data Transfer

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

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Figure 24.3 Remote host and mobile host communication

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

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Mobile IP Support Services

Agent Discovery
HAs and FAs broadcast their presence on each network to which they are attached
Beacon messages via ICMP Router Discovery Protocol (IRDP)

MNs listen for advertisement and then initiate registration

Registration
When MN is away, it registers its COA with its HA
Typically through the FA with strongest signal

Registration control messages are sent via UDP to well known port

Encapsulation just like standard IP only with COA Decapsulation again, just like standard IP
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Discovery
Mobile node is responsible for ongoing discovery process
Must determine if it is attached to its home network or a foreign network

Transition from home network to foreign network can occur at any time without notification to the network layer Mobile node listens for agent advertisement messages
Compares network portion of the router's IP address with the network portion of home address

Agent Solicitation
Foreign agents are expected to issue agent advertisement messages periodically If a mobile node needs agent information immediately, it can issue ICMP router solicitation message
Any agent receiving this message will then issue an agent advertisement

Registration Process
Mobile node sends registration request to foreign agent requesting forwarding service Foreign agent relays request to home agent Home agent accepts or denies request and sends registration reply to foreign agent Foreign agent relays reply to mobile node

Figure Registration request and reply

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

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Packet Delivery Process

A datagram to the mobile node arrives on the home network via standard IP routing. 2. The datagram is intercepted by the home agent and is tunneled to the care-of address. 3. The datagram is detunneled and delivered to the mobile node. 4. For datagrams sent by the mobile node, standard IP routing delivers each datagram to its destination. The foreign agent is the mobile nodes default router.
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Mobile IP Operation
A MN listens for agent advertisement and then initiates registration
If responding agent is the HA, then mobile IP is not necessary

After receiving the registration request from a MN, the HA acknowledges and registration is complete
Registration happens as often as MN changes networks

HA intercepts all packets destined for MN

HA masquerades as MN There is also a de-registration process with HA if an MN returns home

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Registration Process

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Tables maintained on routers

Mobility Binding Table
Maintained on HA of MN Maps MNs home address with its current COA

Visitor List
Maintained on FA serving an MN Maps MNs home address to its MAC address and HA address

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Mobile IP Operation contd.

HA then encapsulates all packets addressed to MN and forwards them to FA
IP tunneling

FA decapsulates all packets addressed to MN and forwards them via hardware address (learned as part of registration process)

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Tunneling
Home agent intercepts IP datagrams sent to mobile node's home address
Home agent informs other nodes on home network that datagrams to mobile node should be delivered to home agent

Datagrams forwarded to care-of address via tunneling

Datagram encapsulated in outer IP datagram

Mobile IP Encapsulation Options

IP-within-IP entire IP datagram becomes payload in new IP datagram
Original, inner IP header unchanged except TTL decremented by 1 Outer header is a full IP header

Minimal encapsulation new header is inserted between original IP header and original IP payload
Original IP header modified to form new outer IP header

Mobile IP Tunneling

Across Internet

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Figure Data transfer

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Figure Triangle routing

TCP/IP Protocol Suite

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Questions
Q1. Distinguish between mobile and nomadic user. Q2. List and briefly define the capabilities provided by mobile IP.

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Answers
Q1 A mobile user is connected to one or more applications across the Internet such that the user's point of attachment changes dynamically, and that all connections are automatically maintained despite the change. For a nomadic user, the user's Internet connection is terminated each time the user moves and a new connection is initiated when the user dials back in.

Q2. Discovery: A mobile node uses a discovery procedure to identify prospective home agents and foreign agents. Registration: A mobile node uses an authenticated registration procedure to inform its home agent of its care-of address. Tunneling: Tunneling is used to forward IP datagrams from a home address to a care-of address

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