[Discuss] Looking for WiFi router with certain characteristics

[MBR]

What exactly is meant by "Access Point" nowadays?  I ask because the 
thing I knew as an "Access Point"in the early 2000s was a simple-minded 
device that sold for $25.  This was before routers incorporated WiFi, so 
my router had 4 RJ-45 LAN ethernet ports and one WAN port.  In order to 
do WiFi, I had one of the LAN ports connected to my Access Point.  The 
Access Point had a single RJ-45 connector and two antennas, and was 
basically a dumb device that just copied bits back and forth between the 
RF signal coming in/going out through the antennas and the Ethernet 
signal on the RJ-45 port.  At the time, router + access point = today's 
WiFi router.

I've been considering running CAT-6 from the basement to the living 
areas of the house, putting the WiFi router and cable modem in the 
basement, and using access points to get coverage on the 1st and 2nd 
floor.  But 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.

It seems that today's Access Points do a whole bunch of stuff besides 
what the simple one I used to have did.  I have no idea what the new 
functionality is or whether any of it would be useful to me.

So, what is an "Access Point" in 2014?

    Mark

On 7/28/14 9:52 AM, Jack Coats wrote:
> Another option, is to put out some Ubiquiti UniFi AP-Pro Access Points.
>   Read more about them on ubnt.com ...
>
> http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Ubiquiti-UAP-PRO-3-UniFi-AP-3-Pack-Bundle-Includes-Mounting-Kit-U-S-Version-/300946015427?pt=US_Wireless_Access_Points&hash=item4611c7c4c3
>
> This is 3 are under $700 in a pack on eBay.  Not cheap, but commercial
> quality that can last quite a while.  I know a college locally (in TN) that
> uses them in their dorms where they get heavy use (close to abuse ;-) ) but
> they stand up well and are remotely managed with Ubiquiti's management
> software (free I think).
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