Base stations on an Internet protocol (IP) network define a number of
paging areas. An IP mobile host assumes one of (i) an active state,
wherein the host informs other network nodes of a change in its point of
attachment from one base station to another, and (ii) a standby state
wherein the host informs other nodes only when a new point of attachment
is a base station of a different paging area from a last point of
attachment, thus conserving power at the mobile host. When data on the
network is addressed to a standby mobile host, a page request is directed
to a base station(s) in the host's current paging area for transmission.
The host enters the active state and transmits a page response which is
received by a base station in the current paging area, and network
routing information for the host is updated accordingly.