An apparatus and method connect an Access Point (AP) in a portable terminal. More particularly, an apparatus and method designate a group of searched peripheral APs, and attempt an access to an AP corresponding to a group selected by a user in a portable terminal. The apparatus includes a group set unit and an AP search unit. The group set unit sets items of peripheral APs to a group according to user's selection. After searching the peripheral APs at the time of AP connection, the AP search unit classifies an AP belonging to a selected item and connects to the classified AP.