A client device attempts to communicate with an access point device both when it is connected to the wireless network along with the access point device as well as when the client device is remote communicating over the Internet. The client device determines a communications path and appropriate command protocol depending upon the client device's location and the communications command protocol supported by the access point device. Once this selection occurs, a user may provide a voice command which is translated into text and converted into an appropriate formatted command message for transmission to the access point device. Any response from the access point device is received by the client device as the same formatted command message which is converted to speech and presented to the user and both an audio and a visual display corresponding to the response.