AP router vs. Regular router

In the big family of network devices, both AP routers and ordinary routers play significant roles, but there are many differences between them.

Application scenarios

• Ordinary routers: Mainly applied in scenarios such as homes and small offices, they meet the network connection needs of a small number of devices, such as computers, mobile phones and other devices in the home sharing the network.

• AP routers: They have a wider range of application scenarios. For instance, outdoor aps can be used for wireless network coverage in outdoor places such as squares and parks. WiFi6 aps are suitable for places with high requirements for network speed and capacity, such as large shopping malls and enterprise office areas. The industrial VPN router for PLC is specially designed for industrial environments and can achieve remote networking and monitoring of PLC devices.
  

Functional features

• Ordinary routers: They usually integrate the functions of routing, switching and AP, and can perform network address translation, DHCP services, etc. They can directly connect to optical MOdems to access the network and allocate IP addresses to lower levels, enabling multiple devices to share the network.

• AP router: Generally, it needs to be used in conjunction with an AC controller. The thin AP is mainly responsible for the transmission and reception of wireless signals, converting wired networks to wireless networks. It does not have routing functions by itself. Although the fat AP can work independently, its functions are relatively simple compared to ordinary routers, mainly to enhance wireless network coverage.
  

Performance

• Ordinary routers: Their performance is relatively weak. When multiple devices are connected, the network speed and stability will decline, making it difficult to meet the demands of simultaneous connection of a large number of devices and high-speed data transmission.

• AP routers: They have strong performance, especially WiFi6 aps, which can support more concurrent connections and higher data throughput, providing faster network speeds and more stable network connections, meeting the needs of multiple people playing online games simultaneously, high-definition video conferences, etc.
  

Network management

• Ordinary routers: Management is relatively simple. Ordinary users can enter the management interface through a browser and easily complete basic Settings, such as changing the WiFi password and setting up the guest network.

• AP router: Thin aps need to be centrally managed through an AC controller, which can achieve unified configuration, monitoring and management of a large number of aps, facilitating network administrators to manage and maintain the wireless network and improving work efficiency. Fat aps, on the other hand, need to be configured separately and their management is relatively troublesome.
  

Safety

• Ordinary routers: Generally, they use traditional encryption and authentication methods, such as WPA/WPA2, etc., and their security is average.

• AP routers: Especially the VPN routers used in industrial environments, they offer higher security and support multiple encryption and authentication methods, such as VPN and IPsec, which can effectively prevent data leakage and illegal intrusion, ensuring network security.
  

Appearance design

• Ordinary routers: Common designs include external antennas, which allow users to adjust the antenna direction as needed to achieve better signal coverage.

• AP router: Outdoor aps usually come with high-gain antennas to enhance the transmission distance and coverage of signals. The ceiling-mounted or wall-mounted aps indoors, on the other hand, are designed more simply and pay more attention to integrating with the environment.
  

In conclusion, AP routers and ordinary routers have significant differences in application scenarios, functional features, performance, network management, security, and appearance design. When making a choice, users should determine the suitable network equipment based on their actual needs and usage environment to obtain a better network experience.