why buy a wireless access point if it costs the same as a router?

Got a wired home network connected via a Netgear switch with a cable modem
coming in through a Linksys router. About to add wireless capability for
two laptops and wireless-enabled PDA. Right now the prices of 802.11g
wireless routers and access points are about the same. Netgear is my brand
of preference among "consumer" brands (my price range). I've read a bunch
of posts and can't find a reason to buy a simple access point instead of a
router, even though I don't think I need the extra features of a router for
this configuration.

Am I missing something? If the price and relevant specs of an access point
and a router were the same, why would someone buy the access point rather
than the router? Does the router have disadvantages if used only as an
access point? I'm going to get SOMETHING today, so could use a quick
response.
Thanks -- WC

In many cases Wireless Access Points have different functionality - like -
act as a bridge or a repeater - things that routers cannot do. Plus the
idea of being able to put many access points all over the place.

My router is in my basement next to the cable modem, but my access point is
upstairs. I also have two access points acting as a bridge - connecting two
buildings and extending my network.

"WCH" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
news:a4pYb.337577$xy6.1674429@attbi_s02...
> Got a wired home network connected via a Netgear switch with a cable modem
> coming in through a Linksys router. About to add wireless capability for
> two laptops and wireless-enabled PDA. Right now the prices of 802.11g
> wireless routers and access points are about the same. Netgear is my
brand
> of preference among "consumer" brands (my price range). I've read a bunch
> of posts and can't find a reason to buy a simple access point instead of a
> router, even though I don't think I need the extra features of a router
for
> this configuration.
>
> Am I missing something? If the price and relevant specs of an access
point
> and a router were the same, why would someone buy the access point rather
> than the router? Does the router have disadvantages if used only as an
> access point? I'm going to get SOMETHING today, so could use a quick
> response.
> Thanks -- WC
>
>

"Jim Orfanakos" <jim@-nospam-orfanakos.com> wrote in message
news:H4ednefc_f5yqa_dRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
> In many cases Wireless Access Points have different functionality -
ike -
> act as a bridge or a repeater - things that routers cannot do. Plus the
> idea of being able to put many access points all over the place.
>
> My router is in my basement next to the cable modem, but my access point
is
> upstairs. I also have two access points acting as a bridge - connecting
two
> buildings and extending my network.
>
> "WCH" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
> news:a4pYb.337577$xy6.1674429@attbi_s02...
> > Got a wired home network connected via a Netgear switch with a cable
modem
> > coming in through a Linksys router. About to add wireless capability
for
> > two laptops and wireless-enabled PDA. Right now the prices of 802.11g
> > wireless routers and access points are about the same. Netgear is my
> brand
> > of preference among "consumer" brands (my price range). I've read a
bunch
> > of posts and can't find a reason to buy a simple access point instead of
a
> > router, even though I don't think I need the extra features of a router
> for
> > this configuration.
> >
> > Am I missing something? If the price and relevant specs of an access
> point
> > and a router were the same, why would someone buy the access point
rather
> > than the router? Does the router have disadvantages if used only as an
> > access point? I'm going to get SOMETHING today, so could use a quick
> > response.
> > Thanks -- WC
> >
> >
>
I recently installed a DLink wireless router and discovered that the MAC
filter was for wired as well as wireless devices. In my case that caused a
problem. My DLink AP's MAC filter only affects the the wireless devices.
Bill Brannon

Bill <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote:

> wireless router and discovered that the MAC
> filter was for wired as well as wireless devices.

And don't make an error or you will end up with a useless router which
can only be started with a full reset.


--
Groeten,

Antonio (Voor email, verwijder X)

Bill
what kinds of problems did you have?

did your network drop about once every one to
two weeks?

i'm using a wireless router as an AP, and I'm
getting network drops, but I just cannot believe
it has anything to do with using the router
"improperly".

thanx
ted
(hope i got your right email address)


Bill wrote:

> "Jim Orfanakos" <jim@-nospam-orfanakos.com> wrote in message
> news:H4ednefc_f5yqa_dRVn-(E-Mail Removed)...
>
>>In many cases Wireless Access Points have different functionality -
>
> ike -
>
>>act as a bridge or a repeater - things that routers cannot do. Plus the
>>idea of being able to put many access points all over the place.
>>
>>My router is in my basement next to the cable modem, but my access point
>
> is
>
>>upstairs. I also have two access points acting as a bridge - connecting
>
> two
>
>>buildings and extending my network.
>>
>>"WCH" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in message
>>news:a4pYb.337577$xy6.1674429@attbi_s02...
>>
>>>Got a wired home network connected via a Netgear switch with a cable
>
> modem
>
>>>coming in through a Linksys router. About to add wireless capability
>
> for
>
>>>two laptops and wireless-enabled PDA. Right now the prices of 802.11g
>>>wireless routers and access points are about the same. Netgear is my
>>
>>brand
>>
>>>of preference among "consumer" brands (my price range). I've read a
>
> bunch
>
>>>of posts and can't find a reason to buy a simple access point instead of
>
> a
>
>>>router, even though I don't think I need the extra features of a router
>>
>>for
>>
>>>this configuration.
>>>
>>>Am I missing something? If the price and relevant specs of an access
>>
>>point
>>
>>>and a router were the same, why would someone buy the access point
>
> rather
>
>>>than the router? Does the router have disadvantages if used only as an
>>>access point? I'm going to get SOMETHING today, so could use a quick
>>>response.
>>>Thanks -- WC
>>>
>>>
>>
> I recently installed a DLink wireless router and discovered that the MAC
> filter was for wired as well as wireless devices. In my case that caused a
> problem. My DLink AP's MAC filter only affects the the wireless devices.
> Bill Brannon
>
>

"Ted Jordan, JordanTeam Computing" <(E-Mail Removed)> wrote in
message news:(E-Mail Removed)...
> Bill
> what kinds of problems did you have?
>
> did your network drop about once every one to
> two weeks?
>
> i'm using a wireless router as an AP, and I'm
> getting network drops, but I just cannot believe
> it has anything to do with using the router
> "improperly".
>
> thanx
> ted
> (hope i got your right email address)
>
>
My MAC address problem had to do with an iMac that was connected to one of
the wired ports. Sure seemed like I had properly added the iMac's MAC
address to the list. I could not get the router to accept a connection from
the iMac with MAC filtering on. Filtering disabled, worlked great. May have
been operator error, but I could not figure out how. I had no difficulty
with the wired and wireless connections for two notebooks. In the end I gave
up on MAC filtering, enabled WEP, disabled SSID and called it good enough
for a residential, no critical information application.

As for dropouts, -different installation.
Since I had an SMC router I was happy with I first tried using an SMC
wireless router. I couldn't get the coverage I wanted so I tried relocating
it and using it as an AP. It worked but required a power cycle about once a
week. I gave up and bought a DLink 900AP+ which has been up for over a year
and has never locked up. From what I have read there is no reason that a
wireless router cannot be used as an AP. Just don't use the WAN port. I
believe my difficulties had to do with the specific product rather than the
concept.