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IT Director at Madison County
Real User
Stable, works well, and you don't have to worry about it
Pros and Cons
  • "What I liked about these is that they worked. I didn't touch them or do anything with them. They were up and running when I came here. Once they are set up and running, you don't have to worry about them."
  • "It is expensive. Juniper seems to have a lot more to offer for future expansion. Juniper has some features that are not there in this solution."

What is our primary use case?

They were for our Sheriff's department.

What is most valuable?

What I liked about these is that they worked. I didn't touch them or do anything with them. They were up and running when I came here. Once they are set up and running, you don't have to worry about them.

What needs improvement?

It is expensive. Juniper seems to have a lot more to offer for future expansion. Juniper has some features that are not there in this solution.

For how long have I used the solution?

It has been over three years.

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

They have been very stable. We didn't see any issues.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I didn't have to scale it. We had 26 users. They included secretaries and deputies to Sheriff.

How are customer service and support?

I never used them. I never had to.

How was the initial setup?

They were set up before I got here.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It is expensive.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to take a look at Juniper. We were using Cisco Meraki devices, but they are kind of end-of-life. We're changing our systems because of a policy change about the use of wireless solutions. So, we don't need them anymore. Juniper seems to have a lot more to offer for future expansion.

I would rate Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN a nine out of ten. It works well.

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.
PeerSpot user
Manager, IT Infrastructure at a consumer goods company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Real User
A good interface makes it easy to manage, and it provides good connectivity
Pros and Cons
  • "The interface makes it easy to manage."
  • "When we are using SSID roaming, it is not flexible in terms of which AP it connects to."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution to provide wireless connectivity.

What is most valuable?

The interface makes it easy to manage.

What needs improvement?

The price of Meraki Wireless should be reduced to make it more affordable.

When we are using SSID roaming, it is not flexible in terms of which AP it connects to. It will not switch to the closet one, but rather, it will maintain a connection with the first one that it had connected to. This has a negative effect on signal quality because as we move around the building and the signal from the original access point gets weaker, it remains connected to it.

For how long have I used the solution?

We have been using the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN for more than one year.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Scaling has not been an issue.

How are customer service and technical support?

We have been in contact with technical support and they have made suggestions to deal with problems that we have had.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The pricing is based on a subscription and is a bit high at the moment.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

I am currently searching for solutions that perform similarly to Cisco Meraki, but are most cost-effective. If in the future, the price of Meraki remains as high, then we will be choosing another product.

What other advice do I have?

In summary, I find that this is a really good product and I recommend it. However, improvements with the cost and signal roaming would make it better.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
December 2024
Learn what your peers think about Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: December 2024.
824,067 professionals have used our research since 2012.
PeerSpot user
Senior Network Engineer/Mobility Specialist at CCSI - Contemporary Computer Services, Inc.
Real User
The Dashboard, with its centralized "cloud" interface is the most valuable feature of Meraki.

What is most valuable?

The Dashboard, with its centralized "cloud" interface is the most valuable feature of Meraki. If you are a smaller organization, have a small IT staff, and/or basic wireless needs Meraki provides the perfect solution. That is not to say that larger more educated organizations might not also find Meraki to be a great fit.

How has it helped my organization?

We use Meraki as a managed service provider for several clients that found the product and price a fit for their organization.

What needs improvement?

One of the virtues of the product could possibly be viewed as an achilles heel. The product is straightforward and does not have lots of features and fine tuning available vendors such as Cisco and Aruba. Some may be available when unlocked by Meraki TAC, but the product is not as feature rich as non-cloud offerings. This may be viewed as a positive by many users that do not want the complexity that comes with the extra features.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been certified and used this product for 3 years.

What was my experience with deployment of the solution?

Very few issues. TAC works well with standard requests. If one needs something very advanced and rarely needed the TAC has difficulty escalating quickly.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is completely stable in our implementations.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The Meraki products scale quite well by allowing multiple organization with subdivisions of "networks" APs can be added to networks and tagged with other information as well. I would say that it works best for organizations with many diverse locations with smaller numbers of APs.

How are customer service and technical support?

Customer Service:

I would say that customer service is an 8/10

Technical Support:

For basic technical support I give a 9/10. Once in the BETA program Irate Meraki a 10/10. The area in between basic support and "white glove" BETA program support is a little rough as I think most Meraki users keep things simple.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

My company implements Cisco and Meraki and are certified for both. As I am also Aruba certified we occasionally service Aruba implementations.

How was the initial setup?

Setup is very straightforward. The GUI is very intuitive.

What about the implementation team?

We are the vendor doing the implementation and often maintenance/monitoring.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Pricing is directly tied to licensing. Longer terms are a better value than shorter ones, but the customer needs to determine which options is best.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

yes we evaluated all the competition.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: I am Meraki certified and my company is a Cisco-Meraki partner
PeerSpot user

would like to have WIPS comparison between the brands

IT Manager at Horiba
Reseller
Well priced and it provides several security advantages
Pros and Cons
  • "From a security perspective, this product has several advantages."
  • "The user interface needs to be improved."

What is our primary use case?

We are a Cisco reseller and the Meraki Wireless LAN is one of the products that we provide to our clients.

What is most valuable?

From a security perspective, this product has several advantages.

What needs improvement?

The user interface needs to be improved.

We would like to see the DNS Proxy and some additional security enhancements in the future.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We were using Cisco Wireless and are now migrating to Cisco Meraki.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Having a good price is important when we are providing quotations for projects.

What other advice do I have?

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.
PeerSpot user
Consultant at Lifeline IT
Real User
Top 5
Very Good Simple Solution that is Great for management but It comes at a premium to do so.
Pros and Cons
  • "It's simple to manage when there's a problem."
  • "It could be slightly cheaper but it's fine."

What is our primary use case?

I'm an Associate Engineer and as part of my work is that I look after a number of companies where I recommend and install different network equipment. Anything from the SonicWall networks, Fortinet, you name it, depending on what the client requirements are. I would prefer high-end and that could mean Ubiquiti, Mojo, and Cisco. In terms of the version I would choose, it really depends on the client's requirements. We deal with small, medium and enterprise size companies. 

How has it helped my organization?

From an organizational perspective, Meraki has made a difference because it's simple to manage with High level of detail and troubleshooting access, when there's a problem. 

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature would have to be the cloud management with high level of detail and ability to be able to use all the information to troubleshoot issues remotely before having someone onsite.

What needs improvement?

The product is fine as it is. Having been in the IT industry for nearly 20 years, there's nothing that jumps out at me. The product is improving all the time. It could be slightly cheaper but it's fine. It's actually a very good product. 

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been working with Cisco for 10 years. Meraki is more recent, maybe three or four years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The product is very stable. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

It's not exactly the cheapest solution in terms of scalability, but it's very good. A lot of my clients have to look at other alternatives because of the cost and it's likely that in the end, they take Mojo even though I don't like that product as much. If I were going to choose an alternative to Cisco it would be Ubiquiti but it all comes down to cost.

How are customer service and technical support?

Cisco provide good support and there have been times when we've needed it. 

What other advice do I have?

We can deploy on-premises or on the cloud, but it's usually cloud. The amount of time it takes to deploy is really dependent on the client and the size of the company. 

I would suggest that sometimes it might be better to spend more money on better equipment that will perform a lot better, so if you have the funds go for it, but if not, then you have to work within your budget. 

I would rate this product a seven out of 10. 

Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
PeerSpot user
Network Communication Solutions Manager at IT Solutions NV
Reseller
Monitoring features offer visibility into the health of your connection
Pros and Cons
  • "I like the status page Cisco added that shows you the health of the wireless connection."
  • "They could also add some more controls for guest access. For example, when you have a captive portal, it would be nice to limit the amount of time users can stay connected per day. Right now, you can only configure the splash frequency. And you can set the connection for one hour, but you have to use the billing feature."

What is our primary use case?

We are using it in a enterprise network, a financial business. Users are completely using it for accessing the servers, internal networking, so the building is completely wireless and the wireless is the main connection to the network, for the gas separate network and for the lease

What is most valuable?

I like the status page Cisco added that shows you the health of the wireless connection. 

What needs improvement?

Cisco could add more security features on the other layers, like if Cisco's IPS antivirus could be downloaded. They could also add some more controls for guest access. For example, when you have a captive portal, it would be nice to limit the amount of time users can stay connected per day. Right now, you can only configure the splash frequency. And you can set the connection for one hour, but you have to use the billing feature.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Meraki WLAN is stable. However, some APs that are around five years old have peer connectivity problems.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Meraki WLAN is easy to scale. If it's a small network of around 50 access points, I think one staffer can handle the installation and maintenance. But if you go over 50 access points — about 400 clients — you would need one more staffer.

How are customer service and support?

Cisco technical support goes deeper into troubleshooting than other vendors that I've worked with. They're more superficial compared to Cisco.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is easy. If you have an ACP network with internet access, it's just a plugin.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

It's a little expensive to use Meraki WLAN. You have to pay for all the licenses.

What other advice do I have?

I rate Cisco Meraki WLAN eight out of 10.

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:
PeerSpot user
reviewer919731 - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Manager at a pharma/biotech company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Everything can be done through the GUI, easy to set up, and very stable
Pros and Cons
  • "It is easy to set up. You can do everything on the GUI. You don't need to trace cables. You don't need to connect to the switch. Everything is there, right in front of you."
  • "They're great. If there's anything that they need to change, it is just simplifying the site to which you go to make changes on the admin side."

What is our primary use case?

We use it for wireless and our network. All our switches and our APs are Meraki.

We are using its latest version. The device is on-prem, but everything is on the cloud. Meraki has its own cloud.

What is most valuable?

It is easy to set up. You can do everything on the GUI. You don't need to trace cables. You don't need to connect to the switch. Everything is there, right in front of you.

What needs improvement?

They're great. If there's anything that they need to change, it is just simplifying the site to which you go to make changes on the admin side.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

It is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

I can add or remove without any issues. So, scalability is no issue. It is being extensively used in the organization at the moment.

How are customer service and support?

I have never contacted their support. It has always been great.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We used to have just the plain Cisco, and we just switched to Meraki. We switched because in the past, for you to trace or change VLANs and all that, you actually needed to log into the actual switch and make the changes there. You had to run a lot of commands and all that, but with Meraki, you could just go to their portal and make the changes there. Everything is kind of right in front of you. So, it makes things so much easier.

How was the initial setup?

It is easy to set up. It took weeks because we had to install it, but the setup itself only took an hour or two.

What about the implementation team?

It was done in-house. In terms of maintenance, it is very lightweight. I'm the admin for it. We do have other IT staff, but they don't really have to do much.

What other advice do I have?

I would advise others to go and get it now. If you don't have it, get it.

I would rate it a nine out of 10 for the ease of use.

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.
PeerSpot user
Head of IT Network Division at Panorinformatika
Real User
Stable, scalable, and easy to use
Pros and Cons
  • "The user interface is very simple and easy to use — our customers are very satisfied."
  • "There could be more functionality."

What is our primary use case?

I work for a system integrator company. I am in charge of approximately 15 people — I am head of the network department. We deal with many different companies, but Meraki and Cisco are the most popular. 

We have approximately 100 customers using this solution. 

What is most valuable?

The user interface is very simple and easy to use — our customers are very satisfied.

Meraki in general is easy to use. I recently hosted a webinar regarding SD-WAN. I compared  Cisco Meraki with other Cisco products. Meraki's performance is a little bit lower compared with other Cisco products, but the platform is very, very simple. As long as a customer has a dedicated IT team, then Meraki will be a good option for them.

What needs improvement?

There could be more functionality.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN for a couple of years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is both scalable and stable. 

How are customer service and technical support?

We're a highlighted partner. If we have any questions, then we can go to the technical guys and get answers immediately. We get the best support all of the time.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward. The platform is very simple. You have to install the EPs and put them on the virus controller so that you can fine-tune the different settings.

What about the implementation team?

We typically install this solution for our customers. Still, if a customer wants to install it themselves, then they can do so easily.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Meraki and Aruba are available for almost exactly the same price. The price/benefit ratio is great. Meraki is more affordable than Aruba, HPE, and others.

What other advice do I have?

I would absolutely recommend this solution to others. 

On a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN a rating of ten.
For small to medium-sized businesses, I think it's the best. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Integrator
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: December 2024
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Wireless LAN
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.