[Discuss] access points

[tmetro+blu at gmail.com (Tom Metro)]

MBR wrote:
> ...when I look for "access points" nowadays, I find devices
> that are at least as expensive as a WiFi router.  A few months ago I
> read what it said on the outside of a box for one in Microcenter, and it
> seemed to list about a million features I couldn't make sense of.

I believe the consumer market for access points shrunk once integrated
router + access point devices became popular. Now the main market for
access points is commercial settings, and they justify a higher cost by
using higher-end hardware, having management software, and support
contracts.

What goes into a consumer access point is nearly 100% the same hardware
as what goes into an integrated router + access point. The only part
they leave off is the switch, which is a minor cost. The rest is just
different software.

I assume what you saw at Micro Center was aimed at the consumer market,
and I'm guessing the cost was comparable to a router because the
production volume was lower and the hardware essentially identical.

 -Tom

-- 
Tom Metro
The Perl Shop, Newton, MA, USA
"Predictable On-demand Perl Consulting."
http://www.theperlshop.com/