The invention relates to a method for node management in a packet-switched network, wherein a first node acts as a proxy for a second node, both nodes having network-layer addresses and link-layer addresses, the network-layer addresses at the network layer and the link-layer addresses at the link layer being used for communication in the packet-switched network. The method comprises the following steps performed by the first node: The first node receives from the second node a request to receive and forward packets addressed to the second node's network-layer address, whereby the same network-layer address is associated with the first node and the second node, and the first node and the second node have distinct link-layer addresses. The first node advertises to nodes attached to the packet-switched network the first node's link-layer address as a destination address for the second node's network-layer address, while the second node does not advertise. The first node receives in response to advertising, packets destined to the second node's network-layer address having the first node's link-layer address; and forwards packets addressed to the second node's network-layer address to the second node using its link-layer address.