Access point and Bridge are both networking devices that allow other devices to connect to a network, but they differ in their functionality.
An Access Point (AP) is a device that connects devices to a wired network, enabling wireless connectivity. An AP creates a wireless network, also known as a WLAN (Wireless Local Area Network), by broadcasting a signal to allow devices to connect wirelessly to the network. Access points are commonly used in home and office environments to provide wireless internet access to laptops, smartphones, and other devices.
On the other hand, a Bridge is a networking device that connects two or more networks together, allowing devices to communicate with each other across different networks. Bridges work by forwarding data packets between two networks, so devices on either network can communicate with each other. Unlike an Access Point, a bridge does not create a new network, but rather joins existing networks together.
In summary, an Access Point is used to provide wireless connectivity to devices, while a Bridge is used to connect two or more networks together.
However, there are some key differences between switches and bridges. Switches are used to connect multiple devices within a network, while bridges are used to connect two or more networks together. Also, switches typically have many ports and can support more devices than bridges, which usually have only two ports.
Routers, on the other hand, operate at the network layer (Layer 3) of the OSI model and are used to connect two or more networks together, while also providing additional functionality such as routing and security features. Unlike bridges and switches, routers can operate across different types of networks, including LANs, WANs (Wide Area Networks), and the internet.
So, bridges are not switches or routers, but rather a separate type of networking device that shares some similarities with switches.