Aruba Access Points Reviews

Our customers are hotels, and the company I worked for provides turnkey solutions for these hotels. Our work starts with infrastructure, implementing passive and copper cabling, followed by active components like switches and controllers. 

On top of that, we provide hospitality solutions, including Opera and Materials Control, primarily focusing on Opera.

We provide a full range of applications that operate the hotel, like front office applications, back office applications, and interfaces between systems.

It is a reliable solution with good coverage. We receive support from Aruba, with assistance from the country manager in providing better quotations and support for projects. 

We did not face any critical problems with the hardware or any of the devices. It is very reliable, and the cost of the hardware is not much compared to Cisco and other products.

Some customers comment that the shape and size of the access point is a little big, especially the one installed in the guest room. Other than that, nothing specific in terms of improvements comes to mind.

I have been working with Aruba Access Points for four or five years, with the most recent experience being six months ago.

It's a very reliable solution. I didn't face any serious issues while handing over projects to customers.

While scaling up to five hundred users, it may cause some performance issues.

Technical support is available through companies in Egypt, providing varying degrees of support. A company called ACT is very good at support. Aruba's country manager is very responsive and supportive.

Positive

I do not have experience working with other wireless LAN products apart from Aruba. I have researched Huawei for a friend, comparing costs with Aruba.

The setup of access points takes minor time in the overall project. Most of the effort is in extending UDP and fiber cables. Configuration is done through a controller, taking about five minutes for each access point.

We manage the project, and I have a technical team that goes into deep technical details.

Here, many owners look at the lump sum figure of the deal, comparing overall costs. Our company contacts Aruba's country manager for extra discounts to secure deals. The pricing is reasonable and lower than competitors.

I researched Huawei to compare with Aruba upon request. The comparison was based on reducing project costs.

Aruba Access Points are reliable and easy to implement. Support from Aruba is quick, unlike Ruckus or Cisco, which take more time.

I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.

I use the solution in my company, considering that I deal with retail customers. Nowadays, the tool is connected to a handheld scanner. The tool is mostly used for the scanner and price tag, and being connected to Wi-Fi helps update the price.

Aruba Access Points can configure the virtual controller to manage multiple IPs, so our company doesn't have to set up a physical controller to manage it. Yeah. The tool has virtual controller features.

The product fails to provide better and extended coverage, making it in an area where improvements are required in the tool.

I have been using Aruba Access Points for five years.

Stability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

The new firmware is not always stable. Sometimes, Aruba releases new firmware, but they may have some issues.

It is a scalable solution.

More than ten of our company's customers use Aruba Access Points. I think the tool has 1,000 users.

The technical support for the solution has been good so far. I rate the technical support an eight out of ten.

If I consider the response time of the support team, then I would rate it a seven out of ten.

Positive

I use AP Wizard to help me with the deployment process. The deployment process is straightforward.

The solution is deployed on the cloud and on an on-premises model.

The solution can be deployed in fifteen minutes.

One engineer is required to deploy the product.

The tool's ROI is quite good.

It is a reasonably priced tool.

The solution improved IoT device connectivity and management in my company by providing a wide coverage. Some of the models of Aruba Access Points come with no antennas, and some models cannot operate in a minus degree environment, like for the products kept in the freezer, and I know this because my customer runs a supermarket. Mostly, Aruba Access Points cannot be installed in extreme environments.

The performance of the product is okay.

The product has simplified my company's network administration tasks because it has a centralized management feature, so through a single platform, the management team can manage multiple IPs.

The product is easy to deploy and manage. The price is also reasonable. You can also get support for the product on time.

I rate the tool a nine out of ten.

Aruba is a very popular brand, running from Access, and they have very competitive pricing. When compared to Cisco, they have a very good range. Most of the clients also prefer Aruba in India. It's the working environment.

The interest funds are valuable. 

The pricing can be improved. 

I have been using Aruba Access Points for a year and a half.

It is a scalable solution. We have ten users.

The initial setup is straightforward. 

Overall, I would rate the solution a nine out of ten. 

The product's most valuable feature is the warranty. It offers a robust warranty and exceptional performance compared to other brands.

They should reduce the prices as an advanced marketing tool. It will enhance the competitiveness as other brands, like Ubiquiti, offer customers a similar deal.

We have been using Aruba Access Points for five years.

The product is stable but more costly than Cisco. I rate the stability a ten out of ten.

Aruba Access Points is suitable for medium and enterprise-level companies. I rate the scalability a ten out of ten.

The technical support services are good in terms of response time.

Positive

I rate the initial setup process a ten out of ten.

The product's licensing cost is low. However, hardware is costly. Thus, it is overall expensive. I rate the pricing a ten out of ten.

The product provides good support services. It has high pricing but is much better in quality and features than other solutions with similar functionality.

I rate it a nine out of ten.

We use the solution to present the data sheet and explain product offers. We offer multiple modules as per the requirement.

Aruba has multiple IP ranges. There are sections also available in Aruba where you can distribute different subnets. Also, the configuration is very simple.

The solution’s pricing could be improved.

I have been using Aruba Access Points as a partner for one and a half years.

The product is moderately stable.

I rate the solution’s stability a seven or eight out of ten.

We cater the solution to medium-sized businesses.

I rate the solution’s scalability a seven or eight out of ten.

We had a very great experience with the technical team.

Neutral

The initial setup is easy. It depends on the kind of project it is. If it has a very large deployment, then it would take days. If the project is small, then it would take hours.

I rate the initial setup an eight out of ten, where one is difficult and ten is easy.

We achieved ROI.

The solution’s pricing is not so cheap, not so expensive.

Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

We have an academic focus. We are a medical technology company—MedTech, specifically. All of our academic programs operate on the Aruba platform. In addition to our internal systems, all users, whether an enterprise or any other category, use Aruba wireless technology.

We have an open space with no disturbances. Aruba is the right product because additional costs may arise if you opt for alternatives. From a security standpoint, we have adopted it, and each part of the network is secure. Currently, it is comfortable for us.

We have additional security. We are using fabric technology for Extreme switches.

Since we manufacture medical devices, we must adhere to pharmaceutical guidelines. According to these guidelines, our rooms are categorized as 'head type' and thus require network connectivity. However, installing high-end APs in every room may not be feasible. Alternatives such as Cisco Meraki or Ruckus may be suitable for lower-end EPE or in areas where high-end APs aren't necessary. These brands offer smaller, in-system devices that can be installed to cover areas effectively. Installing one to two users per AP is acceptable for administrative purposes.

I have been using Aruba Access Points since 2010.

Technical support is excellent. I need to email them since it is a mandatory requirement. Under the contract, we are entitled to support. First, we need to log a call. Then, within a four-hour timeframe, they will provide a set time for addressing and resolving the issue. We are satisfied with the support.

Positive

We have used Cisco since 2006. We were initially a small company. Now, we have a global presence in software, and every investment in software is connected to a central location via a controller. Everything works fine for remote installations. During 2010-2011, we considered opting for a better product. Therefore, we switched to Aruba Access Points.

The product’s pricing is sustainable.

Ethernet throughput is much better. From a security standpoint, it is good. We face a challenge in wireless connectivity, but we can resolve it by ensuring that every device, including routers, is configured correctly for wireless connectivity. We need to ensure these features are installed everywhere. Additionally, we should review the RRP and other performance metrics for further improvement.

Aruba is easy to manage. UI is good. Endpoints present a bottleneck. We need to be concerned about the AP. We need to insert it into my network and ensure it is updated.

Regarding policy enforcement, we may only need to control the controller. From an operational and maintenance standpoint, we require local support from OEMs. Whether a sensor is connected to a switch or not, it's a one-time setup. We have a mobility controller for centralized management, and the compression provides a really good experience.

Aruba Access points easily integrate with existing network infrastructure.

I recommend the solution.

In India, we're operating on the 5 Ghz band. Additionally, we're looking to use the 6 GHz band as part of a trial bundle. We're confident in our ability to support 2.5 and 5 gigahertz frequencies, but we're closely monitoring the situation. We are a robot manufacturing company whose operations rely on the six gigahertz spectrum. While the Indian government hasn't yet opened up the 6 GHz band, it may change within the next two to three months.

Overall, I rate the solution a 9 out of 10.

We use Aruba Wireless to provide wireless solutions and services to some of the biggest IT customers for multiple use cases.

The solution provided by Aruba Wireless fulfills most of today's IT services requirements.

The product’s most valuable feature is its ability to offer wireless connectivity to any service provider, and ease of integration with 3rd party vendors. It is also stable.

Technical support services needs improvement.

We have been using Aruba Access Points for more than four years.

We encounter stability issues with some old IAPs.

It is a scalable platform.

We contacted the product’s technical support team regarding OpenLDAP integration with WLC for dot1x authentication. They said the OpenLDAP support dot1x. But later we checked the solution OpenLDAP is compatible with WLC but OpenLDAP itself doesn't support dot1x. The overall support requires improvement.

Positive

The product’s initial setup process is easy if you have specific knowledge. If you use Aruba Central, enter the MAC address and serial number on Aruba Central.

Port 443 should be open on the firewall. It is zero-touch provisioning. The AP will automatically be provisioned to Aruba Central. It takes around 10 - 15 minutes to provision.

The price is better when compared with the competitors.

Compared to Cisco, the product has a user-friendly interface. It is easy to configure as well.

I advise others to analyze if the product is relevant for their production. There is no need for bandwidth. It is suitable for all types of complexity.

I rate Aruba Access Points a 9.5 out of 10.

Its client match feature is crucial as it helps ensure that devices are optimally connected to the network. It enhances the quality of service by prioritizing media traffic and reducing potential disruptions. The roaming features are also essential and primarily managed through the MCC technology. It focuses on maintaining the quality of service during media traffic, ensuring a seamless user experience. When connecting multiple Access Points, users can independently select their feature controller technology. This simplifies management and deployment, as you only need to configure one AP, and it can then replicate settings to others. Another valuable aspect is integration with other technologies, as it can be incredibly useful when replacing or upgrading systems.

We encountered some challenges when deploying different models of access points, particularly as our network expanded. Initially, using smaller models like the 200 or 300 series worked well, but as the network grew, issues related to signal strength and coverage became noticeable. The newer models, such as those supporting Wi-Fi 5 and Wi-Fi 6, had stronger standards but suffered from slower signal penetration, which resulted in dead spots. Another concern is that when clients wish to migrate to higher-end models, it necessitates running additional cables to address these coverage gaps, mainly due to the higher models having less penetration. I would appreciate for the higher-end models to offer the same signal strength as the older, smaller models, even while maintaining the latest standards, as this would enhance the overall network performance and coverage. There was an issue with equipment delivery where a different model was received, resulting in signal coverage gaps due to differences in signal strength compared to what was initially tested. Having stronger signal strength in the higher-end models, similar to the lower-end models, would be a valuable improvement.

We have been working with it for three years now.

It provides exceptional stability and reliability. I would rate it ten out of ten.

The scalability is highly satisfactory and it is a straightforward process to expand the network. If you're using a centralized mobility conductor architecture and you have ten thousand clients, and you want to add another ten thousand, it's as simple as adding another mobility conductor. You can set up this new conductor as a multiple instance, ensuring active redundancy, and then you add additional controllers and access points. The key benefit here is that you only need to configure one mobility conductor initially, so adding new ones is relatively painless. You can migrate configurations and add more control planes to accommodate the growing network seamlessly.

They provide good customer support.

Positive

I have experience working with both Cisco and Aruba, and I noticed some key differences, particularly in the context of client deployments and the flexibility of the two systems. With Cisco, the deployments are typically smaller, involving just a few access points. One noticeable difference is that Cisco requires additional licensing for features like security and DTC encryptions, and to fully utilize the capabilities of a Cisco switch, you often have to purchase separate performance licenses, which could be somewhat complex, especially when dealing with high-performance switches. Aruba's approach is more straightforward and flexible and the licensing is more user-friendly. It's a one-time purchase, and there's no need for additional licensing for various features.

The initial setup is straightforward.

When it comes to configuring virtual instances, the difference in time efficiency between using a mobility controller and a mobility connector is significant. With a mobility controller, the process takes longer because you need to configure the controller first, and then provision the access points individually. This step can be time-consuming, as you have to configure the controller and then proceed with the provisioning of each access point. With a feature controller, you save a significant amount of time, as you only need to configure the first access point as the feature controller, and the subsequent access points are provisioned automatically. This streamlined approach means that setting up the feature controller typically takes less than an hour, making it a much quicker option for deployment. For monitoring the access points and switches, there are typically two phases: configuration and ongoing monitoring. Self-configuration can be quite efficient while monitoring ongoing operations can be managed effectively. In situations where you're deploying a substantial number of access points, having multiple team members working in parallel, perhaps as many as ten people for more than five hundred access points, can expedite the process further.

The pricing has been quite favorable. As partners, we often engage in negotiations with Aruba, which enables us to secure discounts, making the pricing even more attractive. Overall, I would say the pricing is reasonable and meets our expectations.

It offers remarkable client-handling capacity. Specifically, the Aruba 505 can accommodate up to 266 clients, which is a significant advantage. The speed and performance of these access points are highly commendable, making them well-suited for various applications, including educational institutions such as schools. Additionally, Aruba has introduced gateway technologies, which are handy for multiple branches. By deploying gateways in these branches, you can use technologies like SD-WAN to efficiently manage and route traffic over the Internet while being centrally managed from the headquarters. This enhances scalability and flexibility, ensuring that the network can easily adapt to expanding requirements.