What is the difference between an access point and a router? Solving Wi-Fi Problems with an Access Point

Wi Fi is used to transfer data between devices and the advantage of this method is precisely the ability to wirelessly transmit information over radio channels. Wi-Fi is used to spread the Internet, especially in places where people use portable devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops, netbooks, etc.). Also today, everyone can arrange a Wi-Fi network at home to connect to the Internet all devices that have a Wi-Fi module in their composition, and this requires only one incoming cable from the provider. And, already using a router, you can connect any number of devices.

When connecting only to wired Internet, you can connect only one device with a network card at a time, while for others you will have to do cable wiring around the apartment for an additional fee. But tablets and smartphones can only be connected via Wi Fi, so if you have these devices in your house, and laptops too, then it’s better to make a Wi-Fi access point at home. A big advantage of such a network is a wireless connection, which allows you not to tie the device to only one point where there is an Ethernet connector (RJ-45). And Wi-Fi connection points are limited only by the range of the router. Also, the advantages of this network include a set of common standards for all manufacturers. That is, all equipment is able to connect to the network if it has the Wi-Fi logo. In addition, several devices can simultaneously connect to the router at the same time.

Router for Wi-Fi hotspot

To organize a Wi-Fi hotspot at home, you will need a router. A router is a device that will match signals on the wired Internet and wireless signals on radio channels that come from or to our devices. When buying, you need a Wi-Fi router, not a router router, which can be used to branch out a wired Ethernet network.

Wired Internet can provide more speed than a Wi-Fi network, so when buying a router, you need to look at the speed that it can support (in the passport it may be called “routing speed”). There are several Wi-Fi network standards, they differ in data transfer speeds. Real speeds are always lower than the maximum possible for each standard by about 2 times. But even with such a decrease, the real speed can reach tens of Mbps, which is quite enough for the normal operation of several connected consumers. A USB connector will also be useful in the router, which can be used to connect printers, scanners, etc. to your home network. Printers that support Wi Fi can be connected like other devices over a wireless network. But if there is no such support, then here is a USB connection and will help you organize a home network with a printer and other devices.

Many companies today produce network equipment, including routers. Therefore, you will have plenty to choose from. Any Wi-Fi router will have several connectors. One of them is WAN, this input is used to connect the incoming Internet cable. There may also be several LAN connectors for connecting other devices via cable. This is when the router can also act as a router. Maybe a USB port. And a connector for connecting the power supply. There should also be power on/off buttons and a reset button to return to factory settings.

Setting up a router

After purchasing and unpacking the router, you need to connect it for configuration. We connect the Internet input to the WAN connector, and a cable to connect the computer to the LAN output.

After that, turn on the router, and insert the disk that comes with the router into the computer, and install all the necessary drivers and programs. The disk may also contain a program with which you can perform all the settings of the router. And you can do these settings through the browser.

In order to enter the router settings through the browser, you must enter the address in the address bar, which is written on the sticker on the bottom of the router. There must be an IP address from 4 groups of numbers (for example, this form: 192.168.1.1). There is also a username and password for accessing the admin part of the router settings.

IP address, login and password to enter the settings

If this information is not indicated on the router and it is not in the instructions, then you can follow the path in the computer "Start > Control Panel > Network and Internet > Network and Sharing Center" and in the window that opens, select "Change adapter settings". And already here you should see the item "Local Area Connection".

By clicking on it 2 times, you will be taken to the network status menu.

By clicking on "Details" you will open a window with different information, but you need two lines.

This will be the IP address of the router and its value and enter it into the address bar of the browser. You will be asked to enter your username and password. The default username is "admin" and the password is "admin". If everything is correct, a window with information about the network will open in the browser.

router settings window

To set up you need:

1. create internet connection
2. create local network access
3. configure security (change the password for entering the admin part)

We connect the router to the Internet

First, we enter the WAN section, where you will set up an Internet connection.

There you can configure several types of connection depending on the conditions of the provider. Set "dynamic IP address". Most providers give users a dynamic address.

After that, click "apply", the page with the settings should reload (this router is rebooting). After that, the computer should already be connected to the Internet.

If you choose PPPoE, also a common option, in this option the provider gives you a login and password, it can also give you DNS server addresses and other additional settings. Additional settings depend on the provider. Basically it's just a username and password. That is, select the PPPoE item, enter the login and password from the provider, click "apply" and the computer from which the settings are made will be connected to the Internet.

If you need to select L2TP connections as the WAN (all these items depend on the provider), then in addition to the login and password, you also need to enter the server name. In addition, additional information may be required. All this information is issued by the provider and does not depend on the brand of the router.

There may also be a "static IP" for the WAN connection. In this case, you need to enter the IP address, subnet mask, gateway, and possibly DNS addresses.

additional data when choosing "static IP"

All the options considered are possible if you have all the necessary information from the providers. What if you don't know this information? Then they can be viewed on a computer. How to do it .

After entering all the data in the WAN settings window, you click "apply", the router reboots.

Additional router settings

After that, you enter the "Wireless Network" section.

In the "SSID" item, you specify the name of your network, which will be displayed in the list of wireless networks available for connection.

WPA encryption select “TKIP”.

Install "WPA preshared key", which will be the password to enter the network. This password is needed to protect your Wi-Fi connection from strangers. After all, the Wi-Fi network can also extend to other apartments within the coverage radius indicated in the passport.

After that click "apply".

After these settings, the router should already be distributing Wi-Fi Internet.

If you need to change your login and password to enter the admin part, then you need to enter the "additional settings". Further in the "Administration" section, look for the "System" item.

After entering the system section, you will be able to change your login and password.

After that, click "apply" again and the router will reboot.

You also need to set up network connection security and your router is ready to work on distributing Wi-Fi in your home.

Wifi surrounded us everywhere. We can no longer imagine life without these networks that allow us to connect to the Internet anywhere. But they cannot arise on their own. For this, special network devices are used. They are produced in large numbers. In this article, we will consider one of these devices and figure out what a wifi access point is.

Let's first look at the definitions of each of these devices.

An access point is a small station that creates a connection to an already existing network. It receives the Internet connection from the router and transmits further. There are more expensive models that allow you to do this without routers, but they differ greatly in price. It should also be noted that the access point has only one connector.

Router ( router) is a special network device with several interfaces. It allows you to exchange data between different devices on the network. The router is able to distribute Wi-Fi to all devices in the vicinity.

What do a router and an access point have in common? The answer is pretty simple. Most modern routers have the function of creating a new wireless network. Access points operate on a similar system. This allows all home devices to use wifi.

But the hotspot has additional features. It allows you to create a Wi-Fi connection based on an existing one. This is necessary in cases where the router cannot distribute the Internet at the desired distance on its own. It can also help reduce the load on the router. Many applications can be found.

Next, let's talk about how to choose an access point

access points and their application

Access Point Specifications

Manufacturing materials

The device is divided into the following types, based on the materials of manufacture:

• For outdoor placement. Used when you need to place the device outdoors or in other unpredictable environments.
• For indoor placement. Placement in the office or at home.

It should be noted that the first type requires stronger materials in order for the device to work as much as possible.

Setting up an access point

Also, the device can be placed in different ways. Standard placement options - on the table or on the wall. But you can also plug it into a power outlet, which is ideal for repeater mode. This is the most convenient and easiest way of all.

• Operating frequency

Transmitters can have different frequencies to work - 2.4GHz and 5GHz. Models are also sold that support these frequencies simultaneously.

• Transmitter power

The resulting transmitter power affects the strength and distance over which the signal is transmitted. The higher it is, the farther it will be possible to distribute the wifi network. Also, with high power, the network passes better through walls and other obstacles.

But it is unlikely that you will be able to buy a device with the strongest signal without obtaining special permissions. The maximum allowed transmitter power in our starn is 20dBm. Anything more is professional equipment that must be registered with special authorities.

• Maximum wifi speed

Each access point has its own supported communication standard. It allows you to draw conclusions about the speed at which you can use the Internet. Standard data must be clarified before purchase. The best thing to do here is to consult with a specialist.

• Number of antennas

This option is fully related to the previous point. The more antennas a wi fi access point has, the greater its speed. But you need to understand that not all antennas can be used. Some of them will not work if the receiving device, such as a laptop, has fewer of them.

Antennas can have different operating ranges.

• Antenna types

There are two types of antennas:

1. internal;
2. external.

The second type of antenna can often be removed in order to replace it with a more powerful and suitable one. This helps to amplify the signal.

• Ethernet Port Speed

These ports connect the transmitter to a wired network. If you are the owner of a high-speed Internet connection, then you should choose the maximum allowable speed of these ports, i.e. up to 1000 Mbps. If your provider does not allow you to use a very fast connection, then a speed of 100 Mbps will be sufficient.

• PoE support

This is a special function that transmits electrical energy and data using a transmitter. It is used in cases where the transmitter is located at a considerable distance from sockets and other means of filling with electricity. But such a function

significantly increase the cost of the access point. This function is used mainly in professional models.

Transmitter operating modes

• Access point

The most popular and used mode of operation, which creates a wifi network for connecting devices. It is also possible to create a network based on an existing one.

A bridge connects two wireless networks together. This increases range and capability.

• Repeater

The wifi access point is used as a signal repeater. Allows you to repeat an existing signal, which greatly increases the network coverage area.

This is what allows you to turn the received wireless signal into a wired one. Used for desktop computers.

• router

Allows you to create a new wifi connection with your own settings.

Making a choice

We have already decided on hotspot and what is it. Now let's move on to the selection.

First of all, you need to choose in which mode your transmitter will be used, the options are:

1. If you want to create wifi on an existing wired network, then select the "access point" mode
2. If you need to connect two networks into one, then select support for the "bridge" mode.
3. If you want to expand the coverage area of ​​one wifi network, you must choose models with repeater support.

After you decide on the mode of operation, proceed to the choice of connection speed. A common range is 2.4 GHz. It is cheaper than other options. 5 GHz is suitable for residents of high-rise buildings, which require less network congestion. Also, when choosing a speed, keep in mind that devices must support the same connection standards.

Summing up

We answered the question about what is a wi fi access point. This is a way to create or extend the coverage area of ​​a signal. You should not buy models with a large number of antennas or high speed if it is not necessary. Choose a device that meets your individual requirements.

4 years ago

To be honest, today I’m too lazy to write some kind of regular instruction, therefore, I decided to talk about access points. What is an access point, what are they for, how do they differ from routers, and how to make an access point out of a router. You will not find any specific, step-by-step instructions in this article. Later, in a separate article I will write about how to use a Wi-Fi router in AP (Access Point) mode.

Wireless access point: what is it and what is it for?

First of all, the access point is a separate device. A router and an access point are not the same thing. Yes, they are similar in many ways. We can say that the access point is a stripped down, simpler version of the router. The fact is that a wireless access point is designed to connect devices to an already created network. Its task is simply to organize a connection to the Internet via Wi-Fi. Also, it can work in different modes: wireless client, bridge, repeater, access point. It all depends on the specific model.

The access point does not distribute IP, does not connect to the provider, does not have a built-in firewall, etc. It simply receives the Internet from a router or modem and distributes it via Wi-Fi. Some wireless access points that are commercially available can distribute IP, organize a separate network, and even connect to an Internet provider. But, only via Static IP, or DHCP. Most likely, you can’t do without a router or modem. And one more important point, the access point has only one network connector. So, it does not distribute the Internet via cable.

For example, if you need to distribute the Internet via Wi-Fi from an ADSL modem, or expand an existing Wi-Fi network, then in this case an access point is perfect. For this they are created. As I wrote above, many models can work in client mode, or . Many modern routers can also work in all these modes.

In access point mode, we connect it to a router or modem via a network cable, and get access to the Internet via a Wi-Fi network. If you want to connect a wireless access point "over the air", then you can configure bridge mode (WDS), or in repeater mode. You need to look at what works best for you in particular.

Router and access point

The router itself also acts as an access point, it allows you to connect to a Wi-Fi network. In addition, almost every router can operate in AP mode. For some manufacturers, for example, ASUS, ZyXEL, this mode is simply enabled in the router settings. Later, I will definitely write detailed instructions for setting up this mode of operation on routers from different manufacturers.

In access point mode, the distribution of IP addresses (DHСP), the firewall, and IP address translation (NAT) must be disabled on the router. It just disables a few features of the router, and it turns into an Access Point.

On some routers, there is no AP mode as such. There you just need to manually disable the DHCP server, and perform a few more settings.

conclusions

If you do not know what kind of device you need, a router, or an access point, then it is better to ask knowledgeable people, or buy a regular router. Buy an access point only if you know for sure that it suits you.

Almost any router can operate in Access Point mode. And the access point itself cannot act as a router. It lacks many of the features that a regular router has.

By the way, an ordinary laptop or a computer with a Wi-Fi adapter can also be turned into a wireless access point. I already wrote. And if you have Windows 7, then see.

What is the difference between an access point and a router?

Probably, more than 200 years ago, when the bicycle was just invented, it was confused with a scooter, which, by the way, appeared only a year earlier in the distant 1817. Roughly the same thing happens with understanding the difference between a wireless access point and a router. Just like a bicycle cannot be compared with anything other than another bicycle, an access point and a router cannot be identified with each other, due to the difference in their purpose.

Why do you need an access point and what is it?

Now let's look at the D-Link DIR-615 router:

With the exception of more bulbs on the front panel, at first glance, these devices look identical. Although we already know that this is not the case. Now you can consolidate what was written above and highlight the main differences between the router and the access point:

The router can be both an access point and. In other words, it is a multifunctional device. An access point can perform only one function, namely, to be an access point.

- this is the device that is used indoors as an important element of the local network. Access points, in turn, can be both for home use and for outdoor use.

It basically has only one LAN port for connecting a cable with access to the Internet. The router, depending on the model, has one incoming LAN port and several outgoing ones for routing.

What is better for organizing a small home or office network: buy a Wi-Fi router or access point?

In fact, even if the difference between these two devices has already become clear, the average user still has a question, what to buy if the price is practically the same?

We offer to compare some of the nuances in building networks on both devices so that everyone can make the right choice: