The jump from a stable connection to no connection is often quite sudden. You could be near the edge of coverage getting full bandwidth then move the computer four to six inches and not be able to communicate at all. All this goes to point out the importance of measuring the distances that need to be covered by the network. Moving the server six inches can be the difference between being able to sit on the couch while looking over e-mails and being stuck without a connection. Access points are important to these 802.11b networks because they boost network performance and range when many users are involved.
Access points serve as a permanent wireless network hub.
All communications throughout the wireless network go through the access point when present. The benefits to this are two fold. First, the access point is responsible for directing all traffic, not each individual computer. Secondly, and most importantly, it doubles the distance the computers can be from one another. With the access point installed, the maximum distance between computers is determined by their ability to communicate with the access point.