What is an access point and how is it different from a range extender

1. What is an access point and how is it different from a range extender WiFi technology has made great progress in recent years, but it is not omnipotent, especially in the commercial field. Large office spaces with heavy traffic usually use WiFi access points, while small offices with limited users are more likely to use WiFi routers and range extenders. Let's see how their functions are compared to find the best WiFi solution for you. What is an access point? An access point is a device that creates a wireless local area network (WLAN), usually in an office or a large building. The access point is connected to the wired router, switch or hub through the Ethernet cable, and projects the WiFi signal to the designated area. For example, if you want to enable WiFi access in the reception area of the company, but there is no router in this range, you can install an access point near the front desk and connect the Ethernet cable back to the server room through the ceiling. What is Range Extender? As the name implies, range extenders can extend the coverage of existing WiFi networks. Because the range extenders are connected to the WiFi router wirelessly, they must be placed in the place where the WiFi router signal is already strong, rather than in the actual blind spot. For example, if your router is in the basement of a two-story building, installing a range extender on the first floor (where the coverage of WiFi routers is still very wide) will eliminate the potential blind spot on the second floor. Why access points are better for enterprises Although range extenders are very suitable for home WiFi networks, they are not efficient for modern enterprises. This is because they can only support a limited number of devices at a time, usually no more than 20. Although range extenders do increase the coverage of WiFi routers, they do not increase their available bandwidth. Depending on the number of devices you connect at the same time, the range extender may eventually reduce your connection weight. On the other hand, each access point can process more than 60 connections at the same time. By installing access points everywhere in the office, users can freely roam from one room to another without network interruption. When they move in the building, their devices can seamlessly switch from one access point to the next without disconnecting - they don't even realize they are switching between networks. Advantages of using wireless access points

2. When your employees and guests connect desktops, laptops, mobile phones and tablets at the same time, the 20 devices on the wireless network add up quickly. Each access point has 60 connections at the same time. You can freely expand the number of devices supported on the network. But this is only one of the advantages of using these network enhancers. Please consider the following points: Business-class access points can be installed anywhere where Ethernet cables can be run. The newer models are also compatible with Power over Ethernet+or PoE+(combination of Ethernet and power cord), so there is no need to run a separate power cord or install a socket near the access point. Other standard features include exclusive portal and access control list (ACL) support, so you can restrict visitor access without affecting network security and easily manage users in WiFi network. "Selecting the access point includes the cluster function - IT administrators can view, deploy, configure and protect the WiFi network as an entity from a single point, rather than a series of separate access point configurations.