Methods and apparatus for dynamic home agent assignment in mobile IP

• US 7,409,549 B1
• Filed: 12/11/2001
• Issued: 08/05/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cisco Technology, Inc. (Cisco Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Leung, Kent K., Patel, Alpesh, Chandra, Madhavi W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Revak; Christopher A
• Application Number:
  US10/015,247
• Time in Patent Office: 2,429 Days
• Field of Search: 380/277, 380/281, 713/171, 709/227, 726/14
• US Class Current: 713/168
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2209/80 Wireless network architectures or network communication protocols for wireless network security H04W12/00
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/503 using an authentication, authorisation and accounting [AAA] protocol, e.g. remote authentication dial-in user service [RADIUS] or Diameter
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0892 by using authentication-authorization-accounting [AAA] servers or protocols
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/083 involving central third party, e.g. key distribution center [KDC] or trusted third party [TTP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/321 involving a third party or a trusted authority
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/0431 Key distribution or pre-distribution; Key agreement
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 80/04 Network layer protocols, e.g. mobile IP [Internet Protocol]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed that enable a Home Agent to be dynamically assigned to a mobile node. A Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP enables a mobile node to be registered with either the Mobility Agent or another “local” Home Agent, by receiving a registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and an agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is requested. In addition, the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering (e.g., local Home Agent) may be assigned. For instance, a local Home Agent may be assigned if load balancing among multiple Home Agents is desired. A key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is obtained. The key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is then stored. A registration reply packet is then sent to the mobile node including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering. The mobile node may then re-register with the agent (e.g., local Home Agent) using the key.

Claims

1. In a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP, a method of registering a Mobile Node, comprising:

receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and an agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is requested for purposes of registering the Mobile Node with the agent, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering in response to receiving the Mobile IP registration request packet;

storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering; and

sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the mobile node including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to register with the agent, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

2. In a Mobile Node, a method of registering with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

composing a Mobile IP registration request having a key request extension requesting a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering;

sending the Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the Mobile IP registration reply indicating that the Mobile Node needs to re-register with the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply includes a key reply extension including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering from the key reply extension of the Mobile IP registration reply; and

storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the agent.

3. In a Mobile Node, a method of registering with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

composing a first Mobile IP registration request that requests that a Home Agent be dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

sending the first Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP; and

receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the Mobile IP registration reply identifying a Home Agent that has been dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply further identifies a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent.

4. The method as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

obtaining the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node from the Mobile IP registration reply;

composing a second Mobile IP registration request including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile node; and

sending the second Mobile IP registration request to the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node.

5. In a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP, a method of registering a Mobile Node, comprising:

receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register is to be assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining a Home Agent assignment, the Home Agent assignment identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register; and

sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the Mobile Node identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register and including a key to be shared by the Mobile node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the Home Agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

6. A Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP, the Mobility Agent being adapted for registering a Mobile Node, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for;

receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and an agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is requested for purposes of registering the Mobile Node with the agent, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering in response to receiving the Mobile IP registration request packet;

storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering; and

sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the mobile node including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to register with the agent, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

7. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 6, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is the Mobility Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

creating a registration entry for the Mobile Node in a mobility binding table.

8. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 6, wherein obtaining a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering comprises:

composing a request packet including authentication information associated with the Mobile Node and a key request indicating that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is requested;

sending the request packet to a network device adapted for authenticating the Mobile Node; and

receiving a reply packet from the network device in response to the key request, the reply packet including a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

9. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 8, wherein the network device is on a home network associated with the Mobile Node and wherein the Mobility Agent is on a foreign network to which the Mobile Node has roamed.

10. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 8, wherein the network device is a AAA server, wherein the request packet including the authentication information and the key request is a RADIUS access request packet, the RADIUS access request packet including an authentication attribute having the authentication information and a key request attribute having the key request.

11. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 8, wherein the network device is an AAA server, wherein the reply packet is a RADIUS access accept packet, the RADIUS access accept packet including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

12. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 8, the reply packet including a first key to be provided to the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering and a second key to be provided to the Mobile Node, wherein the first key and the second key are each the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

13. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 12, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

obtaining the second key to be provided to the Mobile Node from the reply packet; and

composing the Mobile IP registration reply packet, the Mobile IP registration reply packet comprising the second key to be provided to the Mobile Node.

14. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 13, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further comprises a hash of the Mobile IP registration reply packet using the first key to be provided to the agent, the hash of the Mobile IP registration reply packet being provided in a first extension to the Mobile IP registration reply packet and the second key being provided in a second extension to the Mobile IP registration reply packet.

15. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 12, wherein the agent is the Mobility Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

decrypting the first key to be provided to the agent.

16. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 6, wherein the Mobility Agent is adapted for functioning as a Foreign Agent and a Home Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for:

sending an agent advertisement indicating that the Mobility Agent is configured for functioning as a Home Agent and a Foreign Agent.

17. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 16, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates an authentication domain associated with the Mobility Agent.

18. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 16, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates that the Mobile Node should obtain an IP address from a DHCP server.

19. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 16, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates that the Mobile Node should obtain an IP address from the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

20. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 16, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates that the Mobile Node should obtain an IP address via the Mobility Agent.

21. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 6, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent on a network to which the Mobile Node has roamed.

22. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 6, wherein the Mobile IP registration request packet indicates that the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent to be dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node and the Mobile IP registration reply packet identifies the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

23. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 22, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further indicates that the agent is to be used by the Mobile Node in subsequent registration requests.

24. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 22, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile Node is to obtain the agent from the Mobile IP registration reply packet.

25. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 22, wherein the agent is a Home Agent on a network to which the Mobile Node has roamed.

26. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 22, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile Node needs to re-register with the agent with the key.

27. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 26, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

receiving a second Mobile IP registration request from the Mobile Node, the second Mobile IP registration request being addressed to the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering;

appending a key reply extension to the second Mobile IP registration request, the key reply extension including the key; and

forwarding the second Mobile IP registration request to the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

28. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 27, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

receiving a second Mobile IP registration reply from the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering;

removing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering from storage; and

forwarding the second Mobile IP registration reply to the Mobile Node.

29. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer readable instructions for registering a Mobile Node in a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

instructions for receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and an agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is requested for purposes of registering the Mobile Node with the agent, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

instructions for obtaining a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering in response to receiving the Mobile IP registration request packet;

instructions for storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering; and

instructions for sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the mobile node including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to register with the agent, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

30. An apparatus adapted for registering a Mobile Node in a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

means for receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and an agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is requested for purposes of registering the Mobile Node with the agent, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

means for obtaining a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering in response to receiving the Mobile IP registration request packet;

means for storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering; and

means for sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the mobile node including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to register with the agent, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

31. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer readable instructions for registering a Mobile Node with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

instructions for composing a Mobile IP registration request having a key request extension requesting a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering;

instructions for sending the Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

instructions for receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the registration reply indicating that the Mobile Node needs to register with the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply includes a key reply extension including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

instructions for obtaining the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering from the key reply extension of the Mobile IP registration reply; and

instructions for storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the agent.

32. A Mobile Node adapted for registering with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

means for composing a Mobile IP registration request having a key request extension requesting a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent;

means for sending the Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

means for receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the Mobile IP registration reply indicating that the Mobile Node needs to register with the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply includes a key reply extension including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

means for obtaining the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering from the key reply extension of the Mobile IP registration reply; and

means for storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the agent.

33. A Mobile Node adapted for registering with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for;

composing a Mobile IP registration request having a key request extension requesting a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent;

sending the Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the registration reply indicating that the Mobile Node needs to register with the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply includes a key reply extension including the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent that is dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering from the key reply extension of the Mobile IP registration reply; and

storing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the agent.

34. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, wherein the agent with which the Mobile node is registering is the Mobility Agent.

35. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

receiving an agent advertisement indicating an authentication domain associated with the Mobility Agent; and

determining whether the authentication domain associated with the Mobility Agent is different from that of the Mobile Node;

wherein composing a Mobile IP registration request having a key request extension is performed when it is determined that the authentication domain associated with the Mobility Agent is different from that of the Mobile Node.

36. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 35, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates that the Mobile Node should obtain an IP address from a DHCP server, the method further comprising:

obtaining an IP address from a DHCP server.

37. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 35, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates that the Mobile Node should obtain an IP address from the Mobility Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

obtaining an IP address from the Mobility Agent.

38. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, wherein the Mobility Agent is configured for functioning as a Home Agent and a Foreign Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

receiving an agent advertisement from the Mobility Agent indicating that the Mobility Agent is configured for functioning as a Home Agent and a Foreign Agent.

39. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

sending a subsequent Mobile IP registration request to the agent including a value associated with the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

40. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 39, wherein the subsequent Mobile IP registration request comprises an authentication extension including a hash value of the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

41. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, the Mobile IP registration reply further comprising an authentication extension, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

authenticating the Mobile IP registration reply using the authentication extension and the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering, thereby verifying that the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile node is registering both share the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

42. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent on a network to which the Mobile Node has roamed.

43. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 33, wherein the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent to be dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node.

44. A computer-readable medium storing thereon computer-readable instructions for registering a Mobile Node with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

instructions for composing a first Mobile IP registration request that requests that a Home Agent be dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

instructions for sending the first Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

instructions for processing a Mobile IP registration reply received from the Mobility Agent, the registration reply identifying a Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply further identifies a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node;

instructions for composing a second Mobile IP registration request using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node; and

instructions for sending the second Mobile IP registration request to the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node.

45. A Mobile Node adapted for registering with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

means for composing a first Mobile IP registration request that requests that a Home Agent be dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

means for sending the first Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

means for receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the registration reply identifying a Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply further identifies a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node;

means for composing a second Mobile IP registration request using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node; and

means for sending the second Mobile IP registration request to the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node.

46. A Mobile Node adapted for registering with an agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for;

composing a first Mobile IP registration request that requests that a Home Agent be dynamically assigned to the Mobile Node;

sending the first Mobile IP registration request to a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP;

receiving a Mobile IP registration reply from the Mobility Agent, the Mobile IP registration reply identifying a Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply further identifies a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node, thereby enabling the Mobile Node to subsequently register directly with the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node from the Mobile IP registration reply;

composing a second Mobile IP registration request using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node; and

sending the second Mobile IP registration request to the Home Agent that has been assigned to the Mobile Node.

47. The Mobile Node as recited in claim 46, wherein the first Mobile IP registration request further indicates that a key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent be generated.

48. A computer-readable medium storing thereon instructions for registering a Mobile Node by a Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP, comprising:

instructions for receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register is to be assigned to the Mobile Node;

instructions for obtaining a Home Agent assignment, the Home Agent assignment identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register; and

instructions for sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the Mobile Node identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register and including a key to be shared by the Mobile node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the Home Agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

49. A Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP and adapted for registering a Mobile Node, comprising:

means for receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register is to be assigned to the Mobile Node;

means for obtaining a Home Agent assignment, the Home Agent assignment identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register; and

means for sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the Mobile Node identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register and including a key to be shared by the Mobile node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the Home Agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

50. A Mobility Agent supporting Mobile IP and adapted for registering a Mobile Node, comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, at least one of the processor or the memory being adapted for;

receiving a Mobile IP registration request packet from the Mobile Node indicating that a Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register is to be assigned to the Mobile Node;

obtaining a Home Agent assignment, the Home Agent assignment identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register; and

sending a Mobile IP registration reply packet to the Mobile Node identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register and including a key to be shared by the Mobile node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is to register;

wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further indicates that the Mobile node needs to register with the Home Agent using the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

51. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is the Mobility Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

creating a registration entry for the Mobile Node in a mobility binding table.

52. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein obtaining a Home Agent assignment comprises:

composing a request packet including authentication information associated with the Mobile Node and indicating that a Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is to be assigned to the Mobile Node

sending the request packet to a network device adapted for authenticating the Mobile Node; and

receiving a reply packet from the network device, the reply packet identifying the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

53. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 52, wherein the network device is a AAA server, wherein the request packet is a RADIUS access request packet, the RADIUS access request packet including an authentication attribute having the authentication information and an attribute indicating that a Home Agent is to be assigned to the Mobile Node.

54. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 52, wherein the network device is an AAA server, wherein the reply packet is a RADIUS access accept packet, the RADIUS access accept packet identifying the Home Agent.

55. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein the Mobility Agent is adapted for functioning as a Foreign Agent and a Home Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

sending an agent advertisement indicating that the Mobility Agent is configured for functioning as a Home Agent and a Foreign Agent.

56. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 55, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates an authentication domain associated with the Mobility Agent.

57. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 55, wherein the agent advertisement further indicates that the Mobile Node should obtain an IP address via the Mobility Agent.

58. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, the reply packet including a first key to be provided to the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering and a second key to be provided to the Mobile Node, wherein the first key and the second key are each the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

59. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 58, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

obtaining the second key to be provided to the Mobile Node from the reply packet; and

composing the Mobile IP registration reply packet, the Mobile IP registration reply packet comprising the second key to be provided to the Mobile Node.

60. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 59, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further comprises a hash of the first key to be provided to the agent, the hash of the first key being provided in a first extension to the Mobile IP registration reply packet and the second key being provided in a second extension to the Mobile IP registration reply packet.

61. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 58, wherein the Home Agent is the Mobility Agent, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

decrypting the first key to be provided to the Home Agent; and

storing the first key.

62. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering is a Home Agent on a network to which the Mobile Node has roamed.

63. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet further indicates that the Home Agent is to be used by the Mobile Node in subsequent Mobile IP registration requests.

64. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile Node is to identify the Home Agent from the Mobile IP registration reply packet.

65. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 50, wherein the Mobile IP registration reply packet indicates that the Mobile Node needs to re-register with the Home Agent with the key.

66. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 65, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

receiving a second Mobile IP registration request from the Mobile Node, the second Mobile IP registration request being addressed to the agent with which the Mobile Node is registering;

appending a key reply extension to the second Mobile IP registration request, the key reply extension including the key; and

forwarding the second Mobile IP registration request to the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering.

67. The Mobility Agent as recited in claim 66, at least one of the processor or the memory being further adapted for:

receiving a second Mobile IP registration reply from the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering;

removing the key to be shared by the Mobile Node and the Home Agent with which the Mobile Node is registering from storage; and

forwarding the second Mobile IP registration reply to the Mobile Node.