A wireless access point bridges wireless devices onto a wired network. It broadcasts a network name, authenticates clients and forwards their traffic to the switch, and it is a bridge rather than a router, so addressing and firewalling still happen elsewhere.
An access point is a radio on the ceiling with a cable behind it. Its performance depends on where that cable ends and where the radio points far more than on the model number.
Placement and channels
Mount access points high and open, with channels planned so neighbors do not overlap. Each unit needs a wired uplink and enough power budget if it is supplied over Ethernet.
Controller or standalone
A controller or cloud dashboard manages many access points with consistent settings, while a standalone unit is configured alone. Either way, guest and device networks belong apart from the camera network.