Access Points
Every Wi-Fi network must have at least one access point. Wi-Fi access points, or base stations, are radio transmitter/receivers (transceivers) that send and receive data by radio and exchange that data with a wired Ethernet network. You can think of an access point as a router between a Wi-Fi network and a wired LAN.
Most access points have one or two short antennas attached to the back panel; some also have a connector that can mate with a cable from a separate antenna. Separate antennas are useful because they can increase the access point's signal strength and sensitivity, but they're usually not necessary in small indoor home or small business networks. There's more about antennas later in this chapter.
Wi-Fi access points are ...
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