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IAPP, or Inter-Access Point Protocol, is a set of standards designed to make it easier for users to move from one wireless access point to another without losing their connection. The idea of the standards was to overcome the inherent technical barriers that can make it difficult for this to work. IAPP didn't really catch on, though, and is no longer formally recommended.
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IAPP is an attempt to make it easier for Wi-Fi users to replicate the way cell phone users access service. When you're on a cell phone call, you can move about with your phone and it will automatically switch to the nearest available cell phone tower, even in the middle of a call, without loss of service. IAPP is designed for Layer 2 setups, meaning switching between different access points that are ultimately part of the same network. The problem here is not in the user's device finding and switching to the nearest access point. Instead the problem is how to make sure the network keeps track when the user switches from point to point, such that the network can keep a continuous flow of data through the various access points between the user and the Internet.
