What IP address does the access point send a discovery packet to?

The correct IP address for an access point to send a discovery packet to is the broadcast address, which is 255.255.255.255. When an access point is powered up and looking for a controller or a management station, it sends out a discovery packet to this special address. It allows the packet to reach all hosts on the local network segment since it is a broadcast address.

Using a broadcast address facilitates the discovery process in a local area network (LAN) since the access point does not yet have any knowledge about the network configuration or specific address assignments for the controllers. By sending a packet to 255.255.255.255, it ensures that any device listening for discovery packets can respond, allowing the access point to discover its management station dynamically. This is essential for the initial setup and configuration.

In contrast, the other IP addresses listed (like 192.168.0.1, 1.2.3.4, and 10.0.0.1) are specific unicast addresses that would not reach all devices in the same way a broadcast would, making them unsuitable for the purpose of discovery.