Many people have a PC in their home these days and they are also commonly used in offices. Most people who have a computer available also like to have an internet connection and this was traditionally provided using a wired connection. However this is not so convenient when there are a few computers in a home or office and also where portable PCs are used. In these cases a wireless internet network can be a better idea and a wireless access point (WAP) can be used to provide this.
A wireless access point is a small electrical device which can be connected to the wired internet service where it enters a home or office such that it broadcasts a wireless service throughout the property. This can be useful in that it means that wired connections are not required to provide internet access to the various computer locations in a property. Basically anyone with a suitably equipped PC can connect to internet wirelessly from any location in the property. For those with a portable laptop this can be useful as they can move around to any room in a property with their computer and still remain connected to the internet. It also generally enables more than one person to connect to the internet at a time and in many homes and offices there can be more than one person with a computer.
A common use of a wireless access point that most people know is a hot spot location in a cafe or library, where anyone with a suitably equipped laptop can wirelessly connect to the internet. A similar system can be set up in a home or office and a WAP device is commonly used to provide the wireless service.
If you have a wired internet connection coming into your property and you also want to enable a wireless service, there are a few wireless access point devices on the market for this purpose. The TRENDnet 300Mbps Access Point TEW-638APB is an example of this. It retails for around $52 dollars and can be used for a few purposes. It can be connected to a wired internet service to provide a wireless service in a property and it is possible to connect a few of them together to produce a Wired Distribution System (WDS) in a large building. Where an existing wireless network is in operation, the access point device can also be used to connect wired equipment to this.
Other manufacturers that produce wireless access points include Cisco, D-Link and Netgear. Prices can start around the $30 mark, although can rise to in excess of $100 for more sophisticated equipment which incorporates more features. They can be found for sale at a number of locations with electrical stores such as Best Buy having them on offer as well as internet stores such as CompUSA.
If you are looking to set up a wireless network in your home or office then a wireless access point is a simple way to do this. Most are easy to set and avoid the need for stringing long lengths of cable around a property and this can make them a good option to choose.