If you’re a regular internet user with the help of a wireless router or wireless access point, you might want to know something about them.
You could think about how they work, and the difference between them. If your question matches my question, then wait until the end.
Here we come with a complete article on Wireless Router VS Wireless Access Point, where we’ve included almost everything related to the topic.
Let’s Take A Short Look At What We’re Going To Cover Today:
- A Brief About Wireless Router.
- What is Wireless Access Point?
- The Difference Between Wireless Router and Wireless Access Point.
- FAQ Section.
- Summing-Up.
What is A Wireless Router?
Shortly, A wireless router allows you to connect end-user clients to the LAN and serves as the gateway between the internet and LAN.
But we can explain the same thing in a complex way. Follow the below section,
A wireless router is a two-in-one appliance that connects a wireless AP’s functionality to connect several devices to wireless stations to an adjacent wired network with the capacities of an Ethernet router, which delivers IP packets between the wireless subnet.
A wireless router has some common firewall functionality, like the network address translation to share one internet address over different wireless stations.
Nowadays, you might already have noticed that most wireless routers come with a four-port Ethernet switch that helps to connect a few wired devices to your LAN via Ethernet cable.
You can consider a wireless router as a wireless AP. Still, it contains AP capacities, so you can’t call it, and this is why an environment with various stand-alone APs also requires an individual router to run as the entrance between the internet and the LAN.
What is a Wireless Access Point?
Generally, Both wireless routers and wireless access points are more like cousins than twins.
But if explained,
A wireless AP is a physical appliance that connects wifi to the current wired network by linking traffic from a wireless workstead set onto an adjacent, wired LAN.
A wireless access point is used for extending the wireless coverage of your existing network in case of future developing access conditions.
You can also think that an access point is like an Ethernet hub, but instead of relying upon LAN frames simply to other 802.3 channels, the Access point transfers 802.11 frames to all other 802.11.
Wireless Router VS Wireless Access Point
The Wireless router and wireless access point both perform similar roles and support wifi network connectivity, so figure out their difference might be challenging, but let’s try together!
We’ll Look At These Considerable Factors:
- Function
- Coverage
- Connection
- Application
Function: As mentioned at the top of the article, Most wireless routers combine the functionality of a wireless access point, a common firewall, a small Ethernet switch, and an Ethernet router.
While a WAP comes as an inbuilt element of devices like wifi network extenders or routers, wireless routers can function as AP, but there is a chance that not all the AP work as routers.
A wireless router help to make a local network by connecting all the external devices connected to it. Here an AP works as a sub-device within the network that only can offer access to the router’s situated network.
Good to say that, without network admin access, you can’t use the wireless router to change the network’s settings.
On the other hand, a WAP isn’t equipped with this same option!
Coverage: if you use a short coverage router that can’t reach your local area, your network signal might be weak.
On the other hand, a wireless AP can be connected in locations with wicked network conditions.
Connection: A wireless access point does not support a modem to make a connection, but if you want to do that, you’ll require to use a router as an intermediary.
As opposed to, Wireless router has a broadband dial-up option that you can use to connect to a modem for dial-up internet directly.
Application: First, look at WAPs, they are widely used in small to medium to even large organizations, and more than one WAP is required to allow many users at once.
that’s not the final benefit of WAP. To reach your local area, you can also link extra access points based on your requirements.
On the other hand, wireless routers are only recommended for small homes or areas because they can only meet the limited access demands.
Some Frequent Asked Questions:
#What is the main difference between a wireless router and a wireless access point?
WAP is a kind of sub-device within any local network that gives another point for devices to connect and allows more devices to be on the same network.
Meanwhile, A wireless router works as a heart that sets up a local network and controls all the connected devices.
#Do I need a wireless router or access point?
It completely depends on your needs, and if you would like to use your network to cover your family, without any doubt, a wireless router is just enough for you.
If you want to cover a large number of users in your local area, you may want to get benefited from a wireless access point.
#Is a wireless access point a router?
No, but it makes a wireless local network that is used in a large home and it helps to connect a wired router, hub with the help of an Ethernet cable.
Summing-Up:
There is no big difference between them, and they play the same role in providing us well a network for internet browsing.
However, they are a bit different in the cause of setting up and controlling, but if you read today’s post about Wireless Router VS Wireless Access Point, Everything will be clear!
