Using an l2 method to locate and associate with a wireless network in communication with a mobile ip agent

Abstract

A computer-readable carrier medium in wireless station for wireless network. Encoded in the carrier medium are instructions that when executed carry out a method operating at the link layer (L2) in the wireless station. The method includes, prior to the station being associated with a wireless network, wirelessly receiving L2 frames transmitted from one or more wireless access point of one or more wireless networks that the station can hear. The method further includes gathering information about the received L2 frames, including L2 information and L3 information. The L3 information includes whether an access point is sending an IP packet from a mobility agent, such that the station may associate with a wireless network that is in communication with the mobility agent. The method further includes storing information about the wireless networks that the station can hear in a database. The information stored about each wireless network includes one or more of an identifier of the wireless network, the L3 information in the L2 frame received from the access point of the wireless network, a time stamp of when the L2 frame was received from the access point, and an indication of the signal strength of the L2 frame from the access point.