WAPs, why more expensive than an AP/Switch combo?

The title says it all, I'm curious if any of the more knowledgeable people here know why a dedicated wireless AP is significantly more expensive than a combined AP/switch/gateway.

example... I was looking up some netgear products (SMB switches and firewall/routers, the nice prosafe stuff,) and then I looked at the APs, and CAN$160 is a bit much, but even the consumer-line stuff ( wg602) is like $20 less for a "router" than for just an AP.

Is it just that there are better quality components used in the AP-only product? It seems odd given that there would be a fair bit more components required for the router. I realize that there is a bit of added wireless functionality with the AP (repeater mode, wireless bridging,) but that seems like software differences rather than hardware.

Anyway... educate me!

 

I use a seperate AP. With a deciated AP you are not sharing any hardware with the router, cpu, ram. In most cases they come with dual High Gain Antennas, 5-7 dBi. Most combo have low gain 2dbi antennas. This makes the performance sgnificantly better, has less heat, fewer problems with the router. Also AP also supports advanced functions like bridging, MP bridging, client, repeater...

I can cover my whole house 2400sqft single level with the AP setting on LOW power with no speed lost. My AP is setting on the opposite end of my house from the router. Another advantage is that you can locate it in a optimal location with out dealing with all the wires related with a router.