Extending the Host Identity Protocol for Next Generation Wireless Networks

Advances of diverse wireless access technologies are defining the trends of future wireless networks, named Next Generation Wireless Networks (NGWN), where several access technologies will coexist and devices will be equipped with different network interfaces, in order to take advantage of each access technology. In NGWN communication maintenance is a concept willing to reach. Therefore, strategies to tackle mobility and multihoming issues are required. In this paper we propose an extension of HIP in order to cover challenges that end to end mobility presents in NGWN. Our approach consists on sending access technology related information before handover execution occurs, in order to optimize handover process. Moreover, the extension tackles QoS issues by sending application requirements as well as restrictions or improvements affecting its performance in the new access technology.