Wireless Home Networking - Index of

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Part II: Making Plans
In this chapter, we use the term AP (access point) generically to refer to the
base station of your wireless network. In most cases it will be a part of a wireless
router, but in some cases it will be a stand-alone AP. When it doesn’t
matter whether the AP is stand-alone or part of the router, we use the term
AP or access point. When we’re specifically talking about an AP that’s integrated
with a router, we use the term wireless router.
Access Point Selection
At the heart of each wireless home network is the access point (AP), also
known as a base station. Depending on an AP’s manufacturer and included
features, the price of an AP suitable for home use ranges from about $35 to
$175. Differences exist from model to model, but even the lowest-price units
are surprisingly capable.
For most wireless home networks, the most important requirements for a
wireless access point are as follows (sort of in order of importance):
� Certification and standards support (Wi-Fi certification)
� Compatibility and form factor
� Bundled server and router functionality
� Operational features
� Security
� Performance (range and coverage) issues
� Manageability
� Price
� Warranties
� Customer and technical support
With the exception of pricing (which we cover in Chapter 4), we explore the
selection of access point products in depth in terms of these requirements
throughout the following sections.
In Chapter 4, we describe how to plan the installation of a wireless home network,
including how to use your AP to determine the best location in your
house as well as the number of APs you need. If you can determine a location
that gives an adequate signal throughout your entire house, a single AP obviously
is adequate. If some areas of your home aren’t covered, you need one
or more additional APs or a more powerful AP (and we tell you how to extend
your network coverage in Chapter 18). Fortunately, most residences can be
covered by the signal from a single AP, particularly when that AP uses the
further-reaching 802.11n standard (discussed in Chapter 3).