Mobile IP is a protocol that allows users to move across different networks without changing their IP address.
It supports mobility in traditional IP-based networks.
Problem it solves: In standard IP networks, an IP address is tied to a fixed location.
If a device moves (e.g., a laptop from home to university), its IP changes, breaking ongoing connections.
Mobile IP introduces two main components:
Home Agent (HA): Located in the home network, keeps track of the mobile device’s current location.
Foreign Agent (FA): Located in the visited network, helps deliver packets to the mobile device.
How it works:
The mobile node gets a temporary address in the foreign network (Care-of Address).
The HA intercepts traffic destined for the mobile node’s home address and tunnels it to the FA.
The FA then delivers it to the mobile node.
Mobile IP supports uninterrupted communication across different networks — useful in vehicular networks, mobile computing, and satellite communication.