Patent ID: 8090828

Claim:
In a network device supporting Mobile IP, a method of conserving addresses comprising: receiving by the network device a request for assignment of a first address from a mobile node supporting Mobile IP; routing by the network device the request for assignment to a server that can satisfy the request; receiving by the network device a request for assignment of a second address from the mobile node, wherein the second address is to be used as a home address to facilitate the mobile node's ability to maintain connectivity while roaming in a network using the Mobile IP protocol, thereby enabling data packets addressed to the second address to be received by the mobile node; recognizing by the network device that the request for assignment of the first address and the request for assignment of the second address came from a single device, wherein the single device supports Mobile IP; and alerting by the network device the mobile node to use a single address to satisfy both requests; wherein recognizing includes analyzing an extension accompanying the request for assignment of the second address; wherein the extension is a GNAIE.