A wireless access point (AP or WAP) serves as the most basic hardware "glue" for connecting computers without wires. Comparable to hubs in a wired network, an access point allows wireless devices to join an existing Ethernet LAN. The products below follow the 802.11b standard that supports a maximum bandwidth of 11 Mbps. 802.11b is a cost-effective standard wireless technology for home networking.
1. D-Link Air DWL-900AP Wireless Access Point
D-Link wireless access points have been available for several years and have sold well. This product is known for good network performance even with full 128-bit WEP encryption turned on. D-Link was one of the first low-cost AP manufacturers to feature MAC address filtering for improved wireless LAN security. Warranty support on the DWL-900AP is limited to one year.
2. Netgear ME102 Wireless Access Point
Unfortunately, Netgear has discontinued the ME102 and no longer offers a comparable product. The ME102 is still available through reseller channels, though, and it is certainly worth the investment. The ME102 offers solid performance and a reputation for being extremely easy to set up. This mature product offers full (128-bit) WEP encryption and DHCP client support. Before being discontinued, Netgear priced the ME102 attractively, making it a great value in this class of product.
3. Linksys WAP11
As with other Linksys products, customers have reported various types of "flakiness" with the WAP11 wireless access point. Range seems to be limited. Technical support and documentation remain poor at best, and the one year warranty is shorter than that of some competitors. However, the WAP11 promises full WEP encryption, MAC address filtering and other leading-edge features, and normally still beats others on price.