[selowitch]

Need clarification here:
Are my understood definitions of these two products correct?

A wireless router typically connects to your DSL/cable (or -- egads -- dialup modem) are from there sends/receives wireless signals to/from various clients like an AirPort-Extreme enabled PowerBook.

A wireless access point is similar but lacks the router function. Basically, if you already own a "wired" router, a WAP might make sense, esp. if you want to locate the "broadcast site" in a different spot than your existing router. You just connect the WAP to your router in that circumstance.

Am I anywhere close to correct here?
If all this is true, why then does a WAP typically cost more than a wireless router?

[ghporter]

Effectively, your definitions are pretty good.

A router switches your data between LAN computers and/or with the WAN-the Internet. An access point is the radio link for your wireless netowrk. Wireless routers are pretty much just routers with built in access points.

The interesting part about this subject is the pricing of wireless routers versus access points. Depending on when you look, you can find wireless routers of various brands for LESS than just an access point.

N.B.: The AirPort Base Station and AirPort Extreme Base Station are wireless routers with only one wired LAN port, while all the other brands I'm familiar with have at least three or four wired LAN ports in their wireless routers. You can find third party wireless routers with parallel and USB print servers as well. The point? All of the third party products I'm aware of can be had for a lot less than an AirPort base. What's up with this, Apple?