wireless LAN access point
alias ： wireless access point
Wiress LAN access point is the point that connects terminals with wireless LAN. Most points can also be connected to wired LAN.
As its transmission forms, Wireless LAN has"ad hoc mode", in which each terminal directly communicates each other, and "infrastructure mode", in which terminals communicate through an access point. In "ad hoc mode", more than two terminals cannot communicate at the same time, so when several terminals are connected, using access point makes it smoother.
There are two main types of wireless LAN access points; a bridge type and a router type. The bridge one is a simple relay for data transfer, similar to wired LAN hub. The router one is a device with a routing function and NAT function, used as an interface of different networks (for example, the Internet and private network).
Usually, an access point and each terminal(more specifically, its wireless LAN adapter) have identifier called ESSID(something like network identification name). An access point accepts only the terminals which have the same ESSID, which prevents interference or useless transmission from happening in such an environment as having several departments within the same floor.
Wireless LAN access point plays an important role in the connection with wired LAN. Even when a house or a building uses wireless LAN, the foundation of the connection with the Internet or the backbone network is mostly wired one, which requires "the port"to have an access point(or a server installed with both wireless LAN adapter and wired LAN adapter). Lately, a broadband router, which has a function of a wireless LAN access point to connect home wireless LAN to the Internet, has been popular.
As a wireless LAN adapter, an wireless access point has correspondence according to different transmission ways, IEEE 802.11a/b/g. In addition, its compatibility should be paid attention to when it connects to different company's adapter. Appropriate technology should also be applied to its security function according to its purpose because there are several designs for that, for example, WEP, WPA, and ESS-ID stealth.