A wireless access point is a device that allows you to connect to the internet without needing to use an Ethernet cable. If you have Wi-Fi at home, then you are making use of a wireless access point. For many home Wi-Fi systems, this means that you are connecting via a router. A router connects to your modem, which brings the internet into your home. The router, including Wi-Fi access point hardware, then broadcasts a wireless network.
Not all wireless access points are routers, however. When many people refer to a wireless access point, they mean a device that is connected exclusively to a wireless local area network (WLAN). These access points are typically used as intermediary devices, creating a wider and stronger wireless signal for the home or office network.
Adding access points to your network can be useful if you want to increase coverage without converting to a mesh Wi-Fi system. If you are unsure of what mesh Wi-Fi is and if you need it, it is an extensive wireless network created by multiple mesh routers that brings the internet all throughout the house.
