An apparatus, system, and method are directed to managing connectivity in a network by expediting the ability of a mobile node to send Internet Protocol (IP) packets subsequent to a handover. The mobile node is configured to determine an unconfirmed address for use on an access router. Upon establishing a link-layer connection, and before establishing a network-layer connection with the access router, the mobile node employs the unconfirmed address to send an IP packet to the access router. Employing the unconfirmed address prior to network-layer connectivity enables the reduction of handover latencies. If the access router determines that the unconfirmed address conflicts with an existing address, the access router provides a message to the mobile node indicating the conflict in addresses. In response to the message, the mobile node performs actions to resolve the address conflict.