What is a wireless access point?

Wireless access points are ubiquitous in modern networks. You can find them in cities large and small. We know that access points allow us to connect to the Internet, but how do they do it specifically? What are their advantages and disadvantages? This article will introduce them to you.

What is a Wireless Access Point?

A wireless access point, commonly called an access point (AP), is a network device that provides easy access to the Internet wirelessly. Most access points look very similar to routers. In fact, modern routers can often be used as access points. Internet service providers often provide their customers with routers with access point functionality to simplify setup.

If the routers given to them by the operators did not have access point functionality, customers would have to connect a dedicated access point to the router to enjoy wireless Internet access, which would be very inconvenient and beyond the expertise of most home users.

Wireless access points are often confused with hotspots. A wireless access point covers an area where there is a WiFi signal and you can connect to the Internet wirelessly. This area is called a hotspot.

Before the advent of WiFi networks, connecting new devices to the Internet was problematic because each new device had to be connected via wires to a router that was connected to the Internet. After the smartphone market exploded, fast, ubiquitous Internet access became the norm, and so did WiFi access points. Most people manage their own WiFi access points at home, but few know how to achieve the best signal strength and optimal download and upload speeds.

The InTalk WR1200 was the first access point (AP) to comply with the IEEE 802.11 standard, launched in 1998 and supporting a maximum rate of 2 Mbps.

The first 802.11 access point

Advantages of Wireless Access Points

1. More users visit

Typically, wireless routers allow 10 – 20 users or devices to access the network, and wireless access points allow 50 – 100 or more users or devices to access the network.

Wireless access points have a stronger ability to send and receive signals, which can achieve high utilization.

2. Wider transmission range

A wireless router's signal coverage range can be up to a dozen meters or 10 -12 meters, however, a wireless access point's coverage range exceeds 100 – 300 meters.

For large offices or buildings of large enterprises, a wide range is very important, and with this wireless access point, users can roam the network easily.

3. Flexible networking

In addition to homes, wireless networking often involves many wireless devices, and different networking modes are implanted according to the environment and needs of commercial venues.

4. Enhanced network security

Wireless access points can include features such as captive portals and access control lists that allow access only to authorized users, enhancing network security.

Disadvantages of Wireless Access Points

1. High cost

Wireless APs are a bit expensive because the larger the enterprise scale of the wireless network, the more wireless access points are required, and the cost will increase.

2. Poor stability

Since wireless networks use air as the transmission medium, wireless access points have poor network stability and slower speeds compared to wired networks, because the transmission medium in wired networks is cables, especially in WLANs, where there are more devices but the speed is slower, wired networks are faster and more stable than wireless networks.

How do wireless access points work?

The access point is connected directly to a broadband router or network switch via Ethernet or data cable, which provides the AP with the required Internet connection and bandwidth. It then sends and receives wireless signals in the 2.4Ghz or 5Ghz frequency range (WIFI), thus providing a wireless connection to your Local Area Network (LAN) and the Internet.

Key Differences Between Wireless Access Points and Wireless Routers

• Routers can provide wired or wireless connectivity to multiple user devices, while APs primarily serve wireless devices such as mobile phones, laptops, and tablets. Essentially, an AP brings wireless capabilities to a wired network, and a router combines the functionality of an AP with that of a broadband router—connecting the LAN to the Internet.
• Wireless routers serve residences and small organizations, where a single device combining AP and routing functions can easily meet relatively modest user needs. Wireless routers cannot scale effectively to reflect escalating network demands, making them unsuitable for wireless LANs (WLANs) that are expected to grow significantly.
• Wireless APs are used in larger businesses and venues, which require many APs to provide service, for example, to cover a wide physical area or support thousands of users. As demand grows, network administrators can add additional access points, allowing for a more scalable design than wireless routers can support.
• In larger WLANs, it often makes sense to connect multiple APs to a single router. The wireless stations can then be treated as one large subnet, which is helpful when users roam from AP to AP. Another benefit of this model is that wireless access control can be centralized on one router rather than spread across several separate routers, allowing for more efficient and effective network management.

Summarize

Wireless access point is a very important and useful device, especially in large networks, which brings great convenience to our network expansion. This article introduces the concept of wireless access point, its advantages and disadvantages, and the comparison between it and wireless router. I hope this article will help you understand wireless access point.