A method for managing Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6) addresses in a wireless sensor network is provided that includes storing, on a wireless sensor device in the wireless sensor network, a prefix of an IPv6 address in association with a key, forming an address indicator for the IPv6 address, the address indicator consisting of the key and a node address of the IPv6 address, and storing the address indicator in at least one memory location on the wireless sensor device in lieu of the IPv6 address.