At the center of this illustration is a cloud representing the wide area network. To the left of this cloud is a second cloud representing a home network. The home area network has been assigned the IP address: 128.119.40/24. The wide area network connects to a router inside the home network, labeled "Home agent." The home agent connects to a link-layer switch, which connects to a grayed-out laptop, labeled "Permanent address: 128.119.40.186.

To the right of the wide area network is a cloud representing the visiting network. The visiting network has been assigned the IP address of: 79.129.13/24. The wide area network connects to a router in the visited network labeled "Foreign agent" and assigned a care-of-address of: 79.129.13.2. The foreign agent connects to a link-layer switch, which connects to a laptop computer labeled "Permanent address: 128.119.40.186." The laptop has an antenna, labeled "Mobile node."

Below the wide area network is a fourth cloud; inside the cloud is a desktop computer labeled "Correspondent."