Router or Access Point

[canyonman00]

Quote from syd697:

Like I said, I'm thinking of going wireless for my 3 desktops which are all in the same room, but will eventually get a notebook where I'd like to roam around the house wireless connected to the internet and/or possibly moving some of my desktops to other parts of my house. Thanks anyone.

I see the difference has been explained. I use wireless setup and to take care of many issues of connectivity the hard ports give you a great alternative. If you have Linksys equipment, you can also purchase a booster (Linksys). Mine was definitely worth its expense.

 

[ArchAngel]

An access point is a station that transmits and receives data (sometimes referred to as a transceiver). An access point connects users to other users within the network and also can serve as the point of interconnection between the WLAN and a fixed wire network. Each access point can serve multiple users within a defined network area - as people move beyond the range of one access point, they are automatically handed over to the next one. A small WLAN may only require a single access point - the number required increases as a function of the number of network users and the physical size of the network.

A wireless capable cable/DSL router usually has four wired LAN ports and a built-in wireless access point. You can also bridge an existing wired LAN by connecting a wireless access point (essentially a wireless bridge/repeater) to one of your wired router ports.