Whats the Difference between a wireless Access Point and Wireless Router?

[Nateo200]

I could have sworn I saw this thread like a week ago but ill ask again. What is the difference, I mean I know the basics but why is it that for example the linksys WAP54G is more expensive than the WRT54G? I thought it had to do with advanced features but a price gap like that seams a bit unwarranted.....I mean the WRT54G can rout ethernet applications as well while the WAP54G can't...I keep trying to grasp this concept but it never sticks in my head how an AP alone can be so expensive over a router, more output power or something? Discuss....

 

[TitanMATRIX]

I'm going to try and make an educated guess here cause I'm still learning with ya.

I believe the Wireless router does what it says... routes and forwards information while the Access Point is simply that. Nothing but an access point where you can connect to a WLAN. Why its more expensive? Idk.

 

[jmacavali]

Not sure why it's more expensive. But it could have something to do with the actual hardware inside the devices. The AP has to be able to detect, connect, and re-broadcast a wireless network, while a router only broadcasts it out.

So in theory, the AP has more specialized hardware in it, and therefore costs more to build, so that costs is shown in the higher price.


--Just my educated guess.

 

[CrossCech]

What's ironic is that if you know what you're doing and are willing to tweak (or even flash with different firmware like dd-wrt) you can turn your wireless router into an access point.

 

[buxtahuda]

What's ironic is that if you know what you're doing and are willing to tweak (or even flash with different firmware like dd-wrt) you can turn your wireless router into an access point.

Yup, very true. Most routers double as Access Points anyway, or atleast that's my understanding of it. I think of an Access Point device similar to a range booster or signal repeater; it just extends where your network'll go. I've read several things on it while I've tried setting up a network to reach across several residential homes (a bitch btw with a/b/g routers cuz anything metal or too many walls absolutely kills signal) and still don't have a solid understanding.

 

[Nateo200]

I've always heard this whole repeater like feature. Is that a physical link via Internet from the AP to the router? It's still weird to me all these years I've always seen the two devices in two categorys but never really explored why they were so different.

 

[buxtahuda]

I've always heard this whole repeater like feature. Is that a physical link via Internet from the AP to the router? It's still weird to me all these years I've always seen the two devices in two categorys but never really explored why they were so different.

A repeater does just that, repeats. It receives a wireless signal (either the closest one in range, or a constant that you set) and then retransmits it, so that the range of the signal is greater. Range boosters should be the exact same thing, so I don't know the difference. Maybe because a repeater is a router that can repeat (our repeater is just a small, normal wireless router), and a range booster is just a repeater.

Actually just googled it.

"A wireless router is basically a router and access point all in one.
You would buy an access point if you had an existing network and wanted to
add wireless capability. You would plug the access point into an existing
router, hub or switch.
Going back as this stuff was emerging there was a price advantage to just
buying an access point. But as things progressed wireless routers sold in
greater numbers and the prices became more competitive. To the point that
now in many instances a wireless router will cost you less than an access
point.
There is very little reason any longer to buy an access point as most
wireless routers now can function as an access point."

So paying more for an access point is complete nonsense, it's one step down.

 

[Nateo200]

A repeater does just that, repeats. It receives a wireless signal (either the closest one in range, or a constant that you set) and then retransmits it, so that the range of the signal is greater. Range boosters should be the exact same thing, so I don't know the difference. Maybe because a repeater is a router that can repeat (our repeater is just a small, normal wireless router), and a range booster is just a repeater.

Actually just googled it.

"A wireless router is basically a router and access point all in one.
You would buy an access point if you had an existing network and wanted to
add wireless capability. You would plug the access point into an existing
router, hub or switch.
Going back as this stuff was emerging there was a price advantage to just
buying an access point. But as things progressed wireless routers sold in
greater numbers and the prices became more competitive. To the point that
now in many instances a wireless router will cost you less than an access
point.
There is very little reason any longer to buy an access point as most
wireless routers now can function as an access point."

So paying more for an access point is complete nonsense, it's one step down.

Wow dilema solved!

 

[TitanMATRIX]

I was close...

 

[Nateo200]

So why hasn't linksys and other networking companys picked up on this?!?!