Fast link layer and intra-domain handoffs for mobile Internet

To support fast and efficient handoffs, we propose a single protocol for both link-layer (within an IP subnet) and IP-layer (across the IP subnet) handoffs within a local domain. It is a complementary protocol to Mobile IP, in which Mobile IP deals with inter-domain mobility in the wide area. By combining a routing table in the IP layer and a bridging table in the link layer to form a single forwarding table, packets destined for a mobile terminal can be forwarded by simple table look-ups. When a mobile terminal moves, the new route can be established by table updates initiated by the mobile terminal. Compared with Mobile IP, the proposed scheme does not need IP encapsulation and does not have the triangular routing problem. In addition, the overhead and latency caused by interfacing the mobility management in the link layer and the IP layer are eliminated. Although link-layer mobility management depends on the underlying wireless technologies to a certain extent, the proposed scheme is general enough for most wireless multiple-access protocols.