Difference? router & Access point?

Vlad_Dracul · 20-07-2008, 14:33

Is there any difference between a wireless router and a wireless access point and if so,what?

ta

**Graham M** · 20-07-2008, 14:38

A router has NAT (Network-Address-Translation) which allows you to connect more than one computer via 1 External (Public) IP Address, an Access Point does not.

Jon T · 20-07-2008, 14:59

Also for some strange reason, access point are generally more expensive than wireless routers, supposedly because stand alone access points aren't seen as a "consumer" product.

If you want a cheap access point the do what I did, get a Linksys WRT54G and flash the firmware to DD-WRT, turn the router part of it off, and as a bonus allocate the WAN port to the switch, and bingo, there you go, access point and five port switch for £30.

BTW, bought the linksys from amazon.

**Kymmy** · 20-07-2008, 15:01

An access point is basically a bridge that connects two or more networks on different protocols and/or media but still uses the same address restrictions

A router as Gramam said is a way of tralslating from one address resctriction to another via a translation/routing table.

Kymmy