Time to read: 8 minutes 4 seconds | Published: October 16, 2025
Access Point What is an access point?
A wireless access point is a networking device that provides wireless local area network (WLAN) connectivity to Wi-Fi devices such as laptops, cellular phones, and IoT devices using radio technology rather than wired network cabling. Access points address the ubiquitous need for wireless connectivity, providing Wi-Fi for users and IoT devices across a range of environments and locations: indoors, remote, hospitality, outdoors, and hazardous environments.
Access points (APs) are network devices that bridge wired and wireless networks. Consumer APs are often called a "wireless router" because they typically also serve as both internet routers and firewalls. Commercial and industrial APs tend towards minimal network routing capabilities and rarely have firewalls. Most APs connect wireless networks using the Wi-Fi standard; however, modern commercial and industrial APs increasingly offer support for the Bluetooth and Thread wireless standards, as well. This allows commercial and industrial APs to support both human-centric and Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
Additionally, Wi-Fi standards (802.11) have evolved to address the growth in mobility and IoT, bandwidth demands of evolving applications, and business requirements for high-performance, always-on, and secure wireless.
What are key features of access points?
Access points are essential networking devices that provide wireless local area network (WLAN) connectivity to Wi-Fi-capable devices such as laptops, cellular phones, and IoT devices. Here are some key features of access points:
- Scalability: Enterprise access points are designed to handle a large number of simultaneous connections, making them suitable for environments with high user density, such as offices, campuses, and public venues.
- Security: Advanced security features include WPA3, VPN support, RADIUS server integration, and intrusion detection/prevention systems (IDS/IPS). They also may support network access control (NAC) and segmentation to manage user access and protect sensitive data.
- Management: Centralized management through cloud-based platforms or on-premises controllers allows for easier deployment, monitoring, and maintenance. Features like zero-touch provisioning and remote firmware updates simplify network management.
- Performance: Support for the latest Wi-Fi standards (e.g., Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6E, and Wi-Fi 6) offers higher throughput, lower latency, and better performance in dense environments. Technologies like multiple-input, multiple-output (MIMO) and beamforming improve signal strength and reliability.
- Quality of Service (QoS): Prioritization of critical applications and traffic types ensures optimal performance for voice, video, and other latency-sensitive applications.
- AI-native optimization: Advanced analytics, machine learning, and AI insights keep Wi-Fi networks performing at peak levels. Time-saving automation helps IT teams quickly detect and correct Wi-Fi coverage issues before users are impacted.
- IoT and Location Services: APs can serve as secure IoT platforms, supporting Thread, Zigbee, Matter, Bluetooth, and third-party USB devices. They provide location-aware visualization through centralized management platforms.
- Energy efficiency: Features like Target Wake Time (TWT) help reduce power consumption, making APs more energy efficient.
What are the key components of an access point?
- CPU and chipset: The processing engine of the access point, responsible for managing all operations and data flow.
- Memory and flash storage: Flash memory stores the operating system, while RAM enables real-time execution and performance.
- Trusted platform module (TPM): A secure hardware element that stores encryption keys and security credentials, enhancing device integrity.
- Wired network interfaces: These ports connect the AP to the wired network and may include optional downlink ports for connecting access devices.
- Radios: Wireless transmitters and receivers that enable communication with client devices across various frequency bands.
- Antennas: These shape and direct radio frequency (RF) energy, optimizing signal coverage and reception. Antennas may be internal or external depending on deployment needs.
- Bluetooth radios and USB ports: Support connectivity for IoT devices such as sensors, cameras, and asset trackers—enabling smart environments and extended functionality.
How does an access point work?
An AP consists of one or more radios, an onboard computer, and at least one wired network port. The AP’s onboard computer uses the radios to emit and listen for radio waves according to one or more public standards. This allows the AP to communicate with any other devices speaking the same standards on the same radio frequencies. The onboard computer then bridges that radio-based wireless network with one or more wired networks using the wired network ports.
Most consumer APs are designed to be the only physical piece of network infrastructure in a home. These are typically provided by ISPs to their customers and are optimized for price. Consumer APs have many features but cannot support either significant network throughput or large numbers of simultaneous devices.
Commercial and industrial APs take a different approach, typically optimizing for scale and network security. Optimizing for scale means putting more antennas into an AP so that it can support either more wireless clients or the same number of clients at a higher average throughput. Supporting more antennas requires either a more complex radio, multiple radios, or both. Typically, the central processing unit (CPU) of an AP that’s optimized for scale will also be significantly more powerful than what is used in a typical consumer AP.
The other dimension that commercial and industrial APs optimize for is network security. Commercial and industrial networks tend to be segmented, placing information security boundaries between different groups of networked devices. Increasingly, commercial and industrial APs include AI (artificial intelligence) capabilities that detect network abnormalities to make troubleshooting and information security tasks easier for administrators.
Modern APs can have many radios operating on different frequencies. The Wi-Fi wireless standard allows for operation in the 2.4Ghz, 5Ghz, and 6Ghz bands. Bluetooth uses 2.4Ghz, as do several of the IoT standards, such as Thread and Zigbee.
Nearly every AP supports the Wi-Fi wireless standard, and many commercial and industrial APs now support Bluetooth as well. Support for other IoT wireless standards is less common but is expected to increase dramatically starting in 2023 due to widespread industry support for the Matter 2.0 standard, and the associated Thread IoT wireless standard.
As smart devices become more common in homes and businesses, the role of the AP is evolving beyond simply connecting laptops and smartphones to the network. APs are increasingly about local radio frequency management, providing the ability to identify, connect to, and securely interact with whatever it is around you that wants to talk wireless to something else. Managing all of that requires increasingly powerful onboard computers along with equally sophisticated software.
What are the benefits of access points?
Wireless access points deliver essential Wi-Fi connectivity, offering several advantages such as:
- Mobility: Access points allow for greater mobility across client devices such as laptops and cellular devices. In the past, many campus users relied on wired connections which tether users to their desk and limit the mobility needed for effective collaboration.
- IoT connectivity: Access points can be used as an IoT onramp, supporting connectivity with a variety of options (i.e. Bluetooth and Zigbee radios, USB ports), eliminating the need for overlay gateways. Access points are typically located on the ceiling, providing an ideal vantage point for IoT communication whether it is via Bluetooth (BLE) or 802.15.4 (Zigbee).
- Offload cellular traffic: With the rising data demands driven by 5G adoption, using wireless access points to offload cellular communications is a practical option. This use case is becoming increasingly significant as more enterprise cellular traffic is redirected to Wi-Fi.
- Go where wired can’t: Access points provide network connectivity to places where wired connectivity is not possible or not cost-effective. Access points can be deployed in outdoor spaces like stadiums and parking lots, as well as hazardous environments such as industrial facilities.
How are access points managed?
Access points can be managed in several ways, depending on the deployment environment and specific requirements. Here are the primary methods:
- On-prem: This method involves managing access points using on-site hardware and software solutions. It is often preferred by organizations that require full control over their network infrastructure and data.
- Cloud: Cloud-managed access points leverage public or private (VPC) cloud-based platforms for configuration, monitoring, and management. This approach offers flexibility, scalability, and ease of management, especially for distributed networks and remote locations.
- As a service: Managed service providers (MSPs) offer access point management as a service, taking care of all aspects of network deployment, maintenance, and troubleshooting. This option can be cost-effective for organizations lacking in-house IT expertise.
- Standalone: Standalone access points are configured and managed individually, often through a web interface or dedicated software. This method is suitable for small networks or specific use cases where centralized management is not necessary.
What is Wi-Fi certification for access points?
Obtaining certification from the Wi-Fi Alliance, an independent industry organization, indicates that the access point has undergone rigorous testing and complies with all the criteria associated with a specific Wi-Fi standard. This certification ensures that devices and access points from various vendors operate reliably, securely, and in accordance with the standard, such as Wi-Fi 7.
What are the different types of access points?
Access points are designed to provide Wi-Fi for users and IoT everywhere businesses and people are, and they support a wide range of use cases and price points.
- Indoor or campus access points: Ideal for most enterprise and consumer deployments, these access points are typically wall or ceiling mounted.
- Remote access points: Provide remote access to corporate access applications and are ideal for remote workers, temporary workspaces, or pop-up locations. These access points are often deployed with a desktop stand and may include additional PoE wired ports to support devices like printers.
- Hospitality access points: Ideal for hotel guest and employee Wi-Fi access. These access points may be used as a remote access point with an optional desktop stand.
- Outdoor access points: Used in parking lots, stadiums, and warehouses, these access points are designed to withstand extreme variations in temperature, moisture, and precipitation.
- Ruggedized access points: Ready to withstand harsh indoor/outdoor, hazardous locations, and extreme-weather environments, these hardened access points are manufactured to meet Class 1 Division 2 or ATEX Zone 2 requirements.
What access points are available from HPE Networking?
HPE Networking provides a full portfolio of Wi-Fi access points including indoor campus access points, outdoor and ruggedized access points, remote, access points, and hospitality options that include plug-in capabilities.
HPE leverages the strength of our HPE Aruba networking portfolio and our HPE Juniper networking portfolio to deliver the best possible wireless solutions for our customers. Our secure, AI-native management helps organizations automate, and optimize their networks to deliver better business outcomes.
FAQs
What is the difference between an access point and a router?
An access point is a network device that connects wireless devices such as laptops and cell phones to the local area network via an Ethernet connection.
A router is a network device that connects Ethernet wired devices (including access points) and provides internet access. Routers can serve either wired or wireless connectivity for users and devices, while an access point mainly serves wireless devices, such as phones, laptops, and other IoT devices. Often routers designed for home use are 'wireless routers' which means they connect to the intranet and provide wireless connectivity. Due to limited scalability and performance, routers are typically used in small or home offices, whereas hundreds of access points can be connected using enterprise switches to support thousands of users.
What are the advantages of an access point?
The fundamental advantage of an access point is that it connects wireless network devices to a wired network; however, APs have very different advantages in the consumer, commercial, and industrial spaces.
Consumer APs are designed to be a household’s entire network. Everything that needs to be connected, whether to the internet or to one another, would all connect through that one device.
Commercial APs are designed to support a significant number of users across entire campuses full of buildings. Most importantly, commercial APs need to be something that can be centrally managed and secured, even when you’re talking about thousands of buildings all around the world.
Industrial APs bring different radio environment requirements to the table. This may be in the form of support for additional wireless standards, support for outdoor or large warehouse spaces, or even support for radio-dense environments.
What problems do an access point solve?
Access points enable organizations to scale their wireless networks and provide seamless connectivity everywhere from carpeted spaces to outdoor environments to remote works sites. By deploying, access points, organizations can support mobility and roaming for users and their devices. Access points also provide an essential role in connecting headless devices or IoT. Securely onboarding IoT devices whether they use Wi-Fi, BLE, 802.15.4 (Zigbee), or USB port extensions, is a core function of access points. Built in AI capabilities enable IT teams to automate fixes and optimize performance and reliability.