We primarily use the solution for expanding the capabilities of the network to wireless devices.
Managing Partner at ODEC Technology Solutions
Perfect scalability, and great stability with no need for a physical controller
Pros and Cons
- "The solution is overall a great product. The stability is one of the best aspects of it. It's also useful in helping control multiple access points. You don't need to have a physical controller like other brands."
- "The initial setup has a lot of options, which makes it very versatile yet very complicated to install. There should be two modes: a basic mode and then a more advanced mode to help make implementation easier. Most of the time, if it's a small installation, you don't need the complexity. You shouldn't need higher expertise in order to install a couple of access points in a single place."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The solution is overall a great product. The stability is one of the best aspects of it. It's also useful in helping control multiple access points. You don't need to have a physical controller like other brands.
What needs improvement?
In some models, you need to buy the antenna separately. They should put the antenna in the box and make it a full product. The non-antenna option does not work as well. Also, if you're not very aware, you might just buy the model that doesn't include the antenna and then you have to wait for a very long time for the antenna to arrive. It's not a good idea to sell it without the antenna. It's an unnecessary additional cost.
The initial setup has a lot of options, which makes it very versatile yet very complicated to install. There should be two modes: a basic mode and then a more advanced mode to help make implementation easier. Most of the time, if it's a small installation, you don't need the complexity. You shouldn't need higher expertise in order to install a couple of access points in a single place.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution since the HP acquisition.
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Aruba Networks Wireless WAN
December 2024
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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of the solution is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of the solution is perfect. When you first start to use it, you have an increased amount of access points, and when you extend the network it's very easy. We have about 25-50 devices.
How are customer service and support?
We've never had to contact technical support, so I don't have any experience to speak to.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is okay, but only if you know what you are doing. Deployment takes a few hours.
What about the implementation team?
I handled the implementation myself.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is more expensive than other similar solutions, but it's worth the price.
What other advice do I have?
We're an Aruba partner.
We use the on-premises deployment model.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Executive Engineer with 11-50 employees
Stable and highly robust
Pros and Cons
- "Aruba Wireless's best feature is that it's very, very robust."
- "Deployment can take some time if you haven't planned well."
What is our primary use case?
I use Aruba Wireless to give wifi access to customers and office-goers.
What is most valuable?
Aruba Wireless's best feature is that it's very, very robust.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using Aruba Wireless for three to four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Aruba Wireless is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Aruba Wireless is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward and only requires a small amount of technical know-how. Deployment can take some time if you haven't planned well.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Aruba Wireless comes with the controller.
What other advice do I have?
I'd recommend anybody looking at implementing Aruba Wireless to go for it - it's a really, very good product. I'd rate Aruba Wireless eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Networks Wireless WAN
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Networks Wireless WAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Network Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Central mobility controller can manage everything instead of having the independent or basic cellular setup
Pros and Cons
- "The product keeps up with leading-edge technology so we have dependability and scalability."
- "This product needs more flecibility with switching technologies."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use is to provide wireless network access for our clients.
What is most valuable?
The newest features and options allow us to use leading-edge functionality like the central mobility controller which can manage everything instead of having the independent or basic cellular kind of setup. Bigger enterprise-level configuration and policy pushing will become easier with Mobility Master and that will provide better services for our clients.
What needs improvement?
The wireless options could be improved to expand the set of features. From a switching perspective, there should be a little more flexibility so there are opportunities to use a broader variety of switch models compared to competing product options. I don't really know specifically what they need to have and improve, just that they continue to keep up with emerging technologies and continue to expand the capabilities of their services.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for almost eight years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability is good with Aruba. You can control and support any feature, unlike in Cisco where we have found limitations. Specific controllers have got specific iOS features. The features can be scaled from smaller controllers to bigger controllers, so you can scale at anytime, no matter what cloud the controller is on. You can also start with the cloud or start with on-premises and go back to the controller base at any time.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have been in touch with Aruba technical support and I would rate them as pretty good. They have been responsive and answer our questions.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is fairly straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Depending on different models you get different capabilities and flexibility. Based on the core components we can have greater coverage or limited access sites.
What other advice do I have?
On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate Aruba Network Wireless as an eight. It is not a ten. Nothing can be a ten out of ten or it would have to be the best product or the only product providing a service.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
Networking Sales Specialist at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Ease of installation leads to cost savings
What is most valuable?
Ease of installation.
How has it helped my organization?
We've got a remote site. We can only ship an access point to them and a zero touch provisioning, so we don't need an IT person on the other side. This saves us a lot of money.
What needs improvement?
The management software. The graphical user interface could do with some improvement, a bit of decluttering.
For how long have I used the solution?
Three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
No, not at all. It's very stable. The benefit of Aruba over Meraki is that even with the management software (subscription based) if you don't pay your subscription, the software still work. It's good that the wireless access points still work, unlike with Meraki.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Yeah, it's normal. The instant access points without a controller, scales to about 90 access points. If you want beyond that, then you can use the same access points, then add a controller.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not called as we've got in-house capabilities.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We used HPE MSM. HPE replaced that with Aruba, and that's why we followed.
How was the initial setup?
No, it was very easy. Very straightforward.
Our most recent installation was for a school and included 91 instant access points with five floors.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Yeah. We looked at Meraki.
What other advice do I have?
They need to look at the scalability. How easy it is to set up for them, because there are actual software features that you get with Aruba that you don't get with the other vendors like location aware and guest access management. Those are the kind of things that Aruba does much better than the likes of Meraki. On top of that, Ruckus, as a company, is not that stable because they've been bought and sold about two or three in the last few years.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller.
Business Director at a manufacturing company with 51-200 employees
A reliable access point that is easy to install and configure
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is reliability."
- "In the next release, the security should be improved by including support for WPA3."
What is our primary use case?
I use this solution as an access point for my local Wi-Fi.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is reliability. Once this solution is installed it works very well.
What needs improvement?
The pricing for the Aruba Wireless WAN should be improved.
In the next release, the security should be improved by including support for WPA3.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Wireless WAN for about two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is very stable and the main reason that I chose this product. It has been running for two years and has always been online.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have between 20 and 30 devices that are connected.
How are customer service and technical support?
I have not had to contact support. I just installed it and used it.
How was the initial setup?
It is very easy to install and set up.
What other advice do I have?
This is a very good product that I would recommend for other people.
It has all of the features I need but it could have a lower price.
I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
CEO at Alam Khwarizm
Good performance that allows us to perform mobile screen sharing
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of this solution is the streaming of screen sharing."
- "The solution would be improved with a better interface."
What is our primary use case?
We are a solution provider and we have experience providing solutions such as this one to our customers.
We currently have a customer who uses this solution in a school.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of this solution is the streaming of screen sharing. Our customer needs to broadcast screens from tablets and iPads.
The performance of this access point is better than the commercial one.
We have been able to manage this solution using Wavefront.
What needs improvement?
The solution would be improved with a better interface.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for one year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a very stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can expand our control and management by adding more access points. We haven't done this yet but we are hoping that we can expand it easily.
How are customer service and technical support?
We have not had to contact technical support for this solution.
How was the initial setup?
The installation of this solution was easy for us.
What other advice do I have?
This is a solution that I recommend.
I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller.
Senior Solutions Manager at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Connects all of our end-users to the network via the wireless access point
Pros and Cons
- "I have found the technical support to be one of the most valuable features."
- "The integration should be better."
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case of this solution is to connect all our end-users to the network via the wireless access point.
What is most valuable?
I have found the technical support to be one of the most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
Something that needs to be improved is the integration.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Aruba Networks Wireless WAN for more than three years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We haven't experienced any glitches so far, so it is a very stable program.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I am more than satisfied with the program's scalability. We've had no issues so far. We have over 500 users, and one person is more than enough for the maintenance.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Yes, we used Cisco before, but we switched to Aruba because of the price. Cisco was too expensive.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was really straightforward and the deployment took us a few months to complete. Our team was responsible for the deployment.
What other advice do I have?
I will definitely recommend this solution to others. I would like to see better integration in the next release. On a scale from one to 10, I will rate this product an eight.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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We have an HPE MSM 720 which is now EOL and are looking at installing a new wireless system. One of those we are investigating to replace our existing kit is Aruba.