A wireless access point (WAP or AP) is a device that allows wireless communication devices to connect to a network without using any wire. The WAP usually connects to a wired network to relay data between the wireless devices and wired devices on the network. 

One WAP can typically communicate with 30 wireless devices located within a radius of 100 m. However, the actual range of communication can vary significantly, depending on such variables as indoor or outdoor placement, height above ground, nearby obstructions, other electronic devices that might actively interfere with the signal by broadcasting on the same frequency, type of antenna, the current weather, operating radio frequency, and the power output of devices. Network designers can extend the range of WAPs through the use of repeaters and reflectors, which can bounce or amplify radio signals that ordinarily would go un-received. In experimental conditions, wireless networking has operated over distances of several kilometers.

SPEEDS

Wireless networking lags behind wired networking in terms of increasing bandwidth and throughput. Typical wireless devices for the consumer market can reach speeds of:
IEEE 802.11b - 11 Mbits (MegaBits per second)
IEEE 802.11a/g - 54 Mbits
IEEE 802.11n - 540 Mbit/s (at longer distance ~50m than 802.11g)
Wired hardware of similar cost reaches 1000 Mbit/s.

Because wireless communications is using a shared communications medium, so a WAP is only able to use somewhat less than half the actual over-the-air rate for data throughput. Thus a typical 54 MBit/s wireless connection actually carries data at 20 to 25 Mbit/s.

SECURITY

The security of wired networks is based on physical access control, security of wireless networks is based on wireless traffic encryption technology. The first generation encryption scheme WEP proved easy to crack; the second and third generation schemes, WPA and WPA2, are considered secure if a strong enough password is used.