Users who establish the wireless Wi-fi connection quite often are confused and do not understand difference between access point and the router though they are basic.
Access point and router
Access point in fact is the wireless base station which provides to the user wireless access to already existing network. Besides, the access point is intended also for creation of a new wireless network of Wi-fi. As for directly router or the router, this device which already possesses the built-in access point.
Advantages and shortcomings
It should be noted that differences between these two devices are also that if the user gets directly access point and installs it, then he will need to install provider settings of the TCP/IP protocol and also, it will not be able to connect to access point more, than 1 device. The thing is that for connection of bigger number of devices to one access point, the user it will be required to receive the additional address (MAC address) from provider, often which cannot achieve just like that.
The main lack and one of differences is that the access point is not capable to protect your device (for example, the laptop) from different invasions and to provide the good security level during the work on the Internet, it will be required to the user fayervol. Naturally, such point has some advantages among which It should be noted that at the user the need for setup or redirection of ports for DC or torrents disappears.
As for the router, setup it receives automatically and to work in network, it is enough to configure the router only once. All other devices which will be connected to the router will use its settings. For safety the router uses hardware protection which protects the user from different threats from the outside.
Most often the access point is got increasing a work space of the router. As a result it turns out so that the router distributes the Internet in some certain square, and the access point connected to the router expands its borders.
Summing up, one may say, that the access point serves as the hub, that is allows to connect several devices on a wireless network of Wi-fi in one, but to get Internet access, the router as it sets the IP address for each device surely is required.