Access Point
Also known as: AP · Wireless Access Point
An access point is the device that turns a wired network into Wi-Fi, giving laptops, phones, and scanners a way to connect wirelessly.
An access point (AP) takes the signal from the wired network and converts it into a radio signal that Wi-Fi devices can pick up. It's the piece of hardware that actually creates a wireless network out of a cabled one.
In practice, an AP is a small box mounted on a ceiling or wall, usually powered over the network cable itself via PoE (Power over Ethernet), so it needs no separate power outlet. Offices or warehouses with more than one room typically run several access points, managed together through a controller or cloud dashboard.
A common mix-up: a home router with built-in Wi-Fi is a router, switch, and access point combined into one box, sized for a single room or apartment. That's rarely enough for a business with multiple rooms or a warehouse floor — those need several dedicated access points placed according to an actual plan.
What it means in practice
If parts of a building barely get Wi-Fi, it's almost always down to too few access points, or ones placed in the wrong spots. NDVDL measures on-site how many access points a building actually needs and where they should go.
Is this handled properly at your site?
We look at how it actually stands with you — and say honestly whether anything needs doing.
Related terms
All termsA term from your quote missing here?
Send us the passage you do not follow. We will explain it — with no obligation to order anything.