A technician is searching through a storage locker and finds an access point. What is the purpose of this device?

The purpose of an access point found by the technician is to use radio waves to provide network access to wireless devices. An access point is a device that creates a wireless local area network, or WLAN, usually in an office or large building. It connects to a router (via a wired network) and projects a Wi-Fi signal to a designated area. This allows wireless devices to connect to the network without needing a physical cable.

The other options described different types of network devices:

• An all-in-one security appliance that includes IDS/IPS functionality as well as stateful firewall services is typically a security device, often referred to as a Unified Threat Management (UTM) appliance or a Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW). It provides multiple security features but is not primarily used for creating wireless networks.
• A device placed between two or more networks that protects data and equipment from unauthorized access is typically a firewall. Its primary role is to monitor and control incoming and outgoing network traffic based on predetermined security rules.
• A device that connects networks and forwards traffic to remote networks by using IP addressing information is a router. Routers are used to forward data packets between computer networks, creating an overlay internetwork.