Aruba Wireless Reviews

Our primary product is the Aruba Instant IAP-205-US Wireless Network AP, JW213A. We have 16 locations. Currently, 12 locations have Aruba wireless APs.  Within the next 4-6 weeks, all locations will have Aruba wireless APs. All locations except our main location use Aruba Central. Cloud Central gives us one management console where we can configure the same wireless networks for all locations.

Many of the devices (laptops, tablets, phones, inventory devices) throughout our organization require wireless capability. Our Aruba configuration gives us the flexibility to be wireless, keeping the same three wireless networks at all locations.

With our Aruba configuration, we have a robust, rock-solid, enterprise wireless environment, that is literally maintenance free.

Overall, the wireless networks that we have configured are the most valuable.

We have three wireless networks: One for employee use, one for guest use, and one for our warehouse use, which uses MAC authentication. These wireless networks just simply work, they do not fail.

The IAP-205 devices are very strong with great range. Very durable equipment; it always works.

The Aruba Central cloud portal needs a lot of work. It is complicated to navigate.

We have used this product for over six years. We have transitioned from a physical controller (model 620) for wireless, to the "instant" (virtual) controller, eliminating the physical controller.

Overall, I would rate our experience with Aruba Wireless products an eight out of 10.

The product is very durable, does not go down or fail. It rates a 10. The Aruba Central cloud portal needs work. Compared to the Cisco Meraki dashboard portal, the Meraki dashboard portal is a nine out of 10, while the Aruba Central cloud portal is a five at best.

We use it to manage a substantial number of access points for our clients, ensuring reliable and secure wireless connectivity across their properties, including indoor and outdoor spaces. It helps streamline operations, and we are actively engaged in consulting and expanding our services in this regard.

It is highly stable and user-friendly. It provides excellent performance and security through the use of available features and policies, reducing the reliance on external firewall configurations while ensuring a secure and reliable network environment.

It would be helpful if they would release training materials and updates to enhance their offerings. When it comes to switching, there can be occasional variations, such as with the cooler switches. Also, there might be technical issues with the code that could lead to variations in performance. To enhance the system, more work on integration would be beneficial.

I have been working with it for four years now.

I am highly satisfied with its stability capabilities. I would rate it nine out of ten.

It provides good scalability abilities.

Its support services are satisfactory.

The initial setup was easy.

The deployment process can vary significantly based on the number of access points and the controller. When you're dealing with a large number of access points connected to a controller, it's important to monitor the synchronization process, which can take some time. Fortunately, there are features integrated into both the Access Point and the controller to help manage this process more effectively, help streamline the deployment process, and ensure it runs smoothly. It typically takes around two to three days for changes to become fully effective in the live customer environment.

It comes with a relatively higher price tag, but it's essential to assess the value it brings to the market because it actively competes with other players in the industry and dedicates efforts to offer competitive devices.

The product is known for its high quality and reliability, fulfilling its intended purpose effectively, which positions it as a practical and worthwhile option. Overall, I would rate it ten out of ten.

We use this solution for law enforcement, medical, etc.

We have couple campus and throughout the country. Our users are able to use their laptop or cell phone while on the move from one location to different location across the country while maintaining connection. And also for me as administrator, we can use Aruba WIFI along with the clear path authentication, TechX, and Samuel. This enables users to experience seamless connection to the organization.

We appreciate the integration options that are available.

I believe that Aruba's support could be improved.

Aruba is pretty stable.

This solution is extremely scalable. We have about one thousand users and have license for ten thousand.

They made some changes to support that I am not happy with.

We have used Cisco and Ruckus in the past. We are still using Ruckus, but stopped using Cisco due to directors orders.

The initial setup was pretty straightforward and took just a couple of hours.

We deployed via out in-house team of a couple of engineers.

Be sure that you know your infrastructure, how many users will be using it, and how many SSIDs you use. This will help you maximize integrations and have engineers that can successfully navigate the new system.

We primarily use the solution for the wireless services for the entire campus.

The wireless service is pretty much standard. 

We like the centralized configuration and monitoring. 

We like the performance of the access points as they're not easily interfered with by other wireless devices. 

The initial setup was straightforward. It's really easy.

The documentation is great.

The pricing and licensing structure are great.

It's very easy to work with.

I would like to see a faster web interface in the controller and more troubleshooting tools, including real-time troubleshooting tools.

The stability is quite good. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.

A lot of people use the solution. We have about 120 access points and more than 1,500 clients who use it daily.

In terms of scalability, it is very easy to expand the network. We build new schools and buildings all the time so the usage is always increasing.

We haven't used technical support yet; I really am not qualified to answer to how helpful or responsive they are.

That said, the forums are quite helpful if you need assistance or to gain insights into usage.

We previously used HP Access Point and LANCOM Access Points. The HP series was discontinued and the LANCOM is very outdated. Therefore, we switched over to Aruba.

The initial setup is straightforward and not overly complex. A company shouldn't have any trouble handling the process. 

We had it up and running in a day or two. The deployment is fast.

We have installed and configured it by ourselves. We did not need the assistance of consultants or integrators. That said, we had the access points, however, we needed some education, some training. The company who sold us the access point really spent two or three days training us and then we configured it ourselves.

We had a very good experience with them. We were satisfied with their level of expertise.

The license is not that expensive. The access point comes with a perpetual license. That's a very big deal in this kind of market. For example, Cisco charges annual licenses in comparison. Aruba Access Points come with perpetual licenses. It could be one license and you have it forever. There is no need to renew or buy something extra.

The pricing is very attractive. I'd rate it at a five out of five. 

You buy the controller. You buy the access points and the licenses and that's it. If you want to have technical support on the controller, you have to buy subscriptions. However, the licenses and the warranty of the access points are free and forever. There's an unlimited lifetime guarantee.

We are a university, so we have the whole community using this product.

We are using Access Point 305 with the Aruba controller 7210.

It's a very good solution. We have our problems, however, all wireless products have their problems. We haven't used state-of-the-art wireless solutions like Cisco or Huawei, so we're not able to compare everything together. That said, we are very happy with what we have.

I would rate the solution at an eight out of ten.

This solution has been deployed for an enterprise environment with 105 Apps and controllers in HA for a government entity handling the user capacity of 1500 people.

Multiple SSIDs have been broadcasted with independent VLANs and user policy has been implemented.

The controllers are in HA. Both indoor and outdoor APs have been used in the environment.

The solution has been differentiated for Guests, Employees, and an unrestricted group. The APs have been deployed across 10 multistory buildings in high interference zones.

Aruba Wireless has succeeded in facilitating the implementation of a centralized wireless network to the client, covering multiple buildings expanding across the area of 58000 square meters.

There are no blind spots and users enjoy uninterrupted Wi-Fi. This has given the users complete mobility and the Quality of Service with the necessary security imposed.

It has met the customer expectations and is ready to scale for growing business demand. It has offered visibility into the network and enhanced the troubleshooting experience.

It is easy to implement and manage through a web GUI.

The adding of APs simply involves configuring a network port on the appropriate VLAN and plugging in the AP. The controller pushes the config out to the new AP.

The Airwave is the best feature for a single management point for all APs in the environment. 

It offers many reporting features as well as visual RF maps displaying heatmaps of the AP signals and client positioning. 

The addition of the APs on the existing swarm is plug and play to the desired VLAN.

The Help option within the GUI needs to be improved. It would be perfect to have it more descriptive about the functions and features it has.

The online documentation resources could be made more readily available for troubleshooting than to be engaged with the support through email and calls.

During the shipments, the firmware versions on the shipped outdoor APs, indoor APs, and controllers could be matched so that adaptation for the APs is easy.

They should add more features available on Aruba Airwave to the GUI.

We have been suing Aruba Wireless for two years.

Stability is guaranteed.

This is a very scalable product. 

Technical support is excellent. They are more willing to help and be there for the customer.

We did not switch products. Rather, our choice is based on customer requirements. It's the best-recommended product listed by Gartner on this segment.

The initial setup is absolutely straightforward.

Our in-house team is responsible for deployment.

The access points are more cost-effective over some other providers, both in cost per AP and the option of a controller-less environment. 

It's comparatively priced; it's a bit expensive compared to competitors but worth the investment because of the performance, stability, and ease of deployment.

We had been working with vendors like Cisco and Ruckus.

I am a system integrator and Aruba Wireless is one of the network infrastructure products that I have experience with. We have customers using versions all the way from AP-100 to AP-535.

We have these devices in many industries, with a focus on educational institutions.

The most valuable feature is the client match. This feature continually monitors the client and provides automatic load-balancing, as well as other advanced features.

Improvements to the GUI, such as being able to search in the Mobility Master, would be nice. It is hard to find and provision APs when you have a substantial install base.

I have been using Aruba Wireless since 2007.

The stability has been great.

We haven't had any trouble with scalability. 75% of our clients are using Aruba Wireless.

I have a lot of experience with wireless networking products from Aruba and Juniper. I also have some experience with Ruckus.

The initial setup is pretty straightforward and the deployment is quick. With our experience, it is pretty easy to do.

We integrate Aruba Wireless and other devices for our customers.

My advice for anybody who is considering Aruba Wireless is to try it. If you try it then you're going to like it.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

The coverage, concurrent user life, and visualization are the most valuable features of these solutions.

The configuration of the virtual controller could be improved. When they reach a maximum of 100 the configuration is lost.

In the next release, I would like the WiFi text included.

Whether videos are online or in live sessions, it can take a long time to deliver videos in Aruba Wireless.

Aruba Wireless is a stable product.

Aruba Wireless is scalable, but it has limitations. 

When you reach the limit of 100 users or have too many devices, you will experience a loss of connectivity.

In Jordan, the technical support for Aruba Wireless is very good.

I am certified, in Sophos XG.

We work with Full Configuration, Virtual Controller Wireless, Ruckus, and Cisco.

For our customers, we deploy both on the cloud and on-premises.

The initial setup of Aruba Wireless is easy, but the controller device is difficult.

The virtual controller process is very simple. For example, configuring a user portal or a cap portal is extremely difficult.

To configure a user, I must log in to the user portal, with a username, and password. It's extremely difficult in the device controller.

The price is reasonable. I would rate it a three out of five.

I would rate Aruba Wireless a seven out of ten.

We use Aruba wireless APs to provide wireless services for a private high school campus which is located on a 60-acre campus in Rockford, IL, with an enrollment of nearly 900 students.

Increased productivity with mobile devices has improved by expanding wireless coverage throughout the building. While our building has been covered by the Aruba APs throughout the years, we are now replacing older APs to increase bandwidth to support an increase in the number of users with dedicated devices. Nowadays, the end-user devices require faster bandwidth from APs, and the newest APs obviously support faster standards and improved bandwidth connectivity.

We appreciate that the Instant models do not require a dedicated "controller" to manage the APs. This cost saving allowed us to purchase more APs in our initial order. We started out small and slowly added more APs as each annual budget allowed. We still have the possibility of adding a dedicated controller which affords us more options, but at this time we haven't needed it.

The web interface to manage the APs is intuitive and makes managing the system easy. 

Firmware updates are quick and do not require much downtime.

Customer service really needs to be improved. If the customer support was better, I would recommend it to others more than I do now. I say that even though we are upgrading to newer units this summer.

Stability of wireless services provided by the Aruba APs hasn't been an issue. If there have been any issues, they've been minor and have been resolved by firmware updates.

No issues with scalability. Scalability has been one of the easiest aspects of the Aruba Instant product line. As long as the models are compatible, you can simply connect it to your network and it will learn the settings from the other APs on the network and join the AP network. This is one of the best features of the Aruba Wireless Instant product line, besides the fact that you do not need a dedicated "controller."

The first level of technical support is frustrating, and I stated that technical support was the one area where Aruba Wireless needs improvement. Higher levels of support are better. Considering that you have to pay yearly for support, I expect a higher level of support. On a scale of one to 10, I'd give their first level of support a four. They have to improve.

We did for a very brief time, it was a consumer "off-the-shelf" product to get us by in strategic locations in our building. It was not intended to be a long-term deployment.

Initial setup was straightforward. We followed the very basic instructions (connect to the new WiFi network, then go to a website, make some simple changes, save, reboot, done); updated the firmware, and we were on our way.

Pricing is competitive. Licensing is needed to maintain access to the latest firmware, which wasn't made clear originally when we started with Arbua (or things changed, I'm not sure which). I would just say, make sure you budget for it. In addition to the licensing, you do get "support," for what its worth.

No, we received guidance from others in our community and stuck with Aruba.

We currently utilize the Aruba Instant 205 and older Instant 105 models. I would give both models a rating of an eight out of 10. We will be upgrading this summer to move our Instant 105 models out of circulation and will be implementing three new Aruba product lines.

Make sure you get the maintenance licensing, don't skimp on the models. If you can buy a more powerful unit, get the more powerful unit, it will be supported longer and offer a longer ROI.