Field Guide · hardware

Also known as: WAP, access point, AP

A wireless access point (WAP, or just AP) is a device that lets Wi-Fi clients join a wired network, bridging their radio links onto the LAN.1

Wi-Fi clients laptop phone tablet access point SSID · bridge switch wired LAN Wi-Fi · 802.11 Ethernet radio links on one side, a wired uplink on the other
An access point is a bridge with a foot in each world: wireless clients associate to its SSID over the air (dashed 802.11 links), and it relays their traffic down a wired Ethernet uplink to the switch. That is the whole job — it puts Wi-Fi on the air for a network that is otherwise wired.

Overview

An access point broadcasts one or more named networks (SSIDs) and relays traffic between associated wireless clients and the wired side, usually plugging into a switch. Standalone APs are common in larger buildings, where several units share an SSID so devices roam seamlessly, often as a controller-managed or mesh system. Many are powered over the data cable by Power over Ethernet, simplifying mounting. In a home, the AP is typically built into the same box as the router and modem.

Where it fits

The AP is the radio edge of a wired network — the piece that actually puts Wi-Fi on the air, distinct from the routing and switching behind it. For a GopherTrunk node that must report wirelessly, a well-placed AP gives a cleaner link than a distant home router, though a wired Ethernet drop is still preferable near sensitive RF gear.

Sources

  1. Wireless access point — Wikipedia, on the device that bridges Wi-Fi clients onto a wired network. ↩

See also