In the article we will try to understand as much as possible the question of how the router differs from the access point. An access point is a device that Wi-Fi devices connect to. An access point alone would not be very useful, since it only connects devices over Wi-Fi together.
To connect various devices to a wired network and provide them with Internet access, the access point must be connected to a router. It will be he who will receive packets coming from the access point, and also redirect them to a wired network to provide Wi-Fi access to Internet devices.
What is an access point?
An access point is a device used to connect wireless clients to a wired network. Such devices are widely used in Wi-Fi technology. The device creates an access point that transmits an SSID. Other Wi-Fi enabled devices, such as laptops, mobile phones, or tablets, connect to this access point using Wi-Fi. But what makes a router different from an access point in principle is the way it connects to the World Wide Web or another network.
An access point usually connects to a router. All who are connected to the point will be provided with Internet through a router. In addition, all devices connected to the point will be connected to the local network. They can use various services, such as file sharing. It is also important that in modern wireless routers these two elements are integrated into one device.
Usage example
Suppose there is an ADSL connection to the Internet and a home network. A wired ADSL router connects to the telephone line on the one hand, and on the other several computers are connected using an Ethernet cable. This creates a LAN, all devices can communicate with each other and have access to the Internet.
In the event that you buy an access point and connect it using an Ethernet cable to the ADSL router, the access point will create a Wi-Fi network, and any device can connect to it. They will be able to access the Internet as packets will be routed through ADSL. In addition, wireless devices can exchange data with each other, as well as communicate with a wired LAN.
Modern Wi-Fi cards installed on laptops and mobile phones can also act as access points. Software, as well as built-in tools in operating systems, allows you to share the Internet, turning the Wi-Fi module on your laptop or mobile phone into a virtual access point.
What is a router?
A router is a network device that routes data packets over a network. It operates at the network layer of the OSI reference model and, therefore, is a third-level device. A router maintains a table called a routing table. It consists of an IP gateway through which a packet must be routed to access a specific destination IP address. This is the difference between a router and an access point.
The routing table can be statically set by the network administrator or automatically generated using routing algorithms. When the router receives the packet, it first saves it in memory and parses the IP address of the recipient. He then searches the routing table to see through which gateway the packet should be forwarded. Then, based on this information, it forwards the packet accordingly.
An access point definitely needs a router to connect its wireless clients to the Internet. After all, it only combines Wi-Fi devices, but does not know how to route packets. Thus, it must be connected to the router, and it will redirect packets coming from the access point to the external network.
What is the difference between an access point and a router?
Let's identify the differences between the access point and the router:
- An access point allows you to connect to Wi-Fi devices. The router connects the access point to an external network, such as the Internet.
- The access point is not able to route packets. The router does this to route packets to the appropriate destination.
- The router has a switching structure that routes packets from different input interfaces to correct the output. The access point directs only what comes from the Wi-Fi receiver to the wired interface. And also what comes from the wired interface to the Wi-Fi transmitter.
- Routers perform complex routing algorithms that include data structures. There are no such complicated algorithms and tables at access points.
- The access point has wireless equipment such as Wi-Fi receivers and transmitters. Routers do not have this in their composition.
This is the difference between a router and a Wi-Fi access point . It's all about the scope of application of devices.