We are using Cisco Wireless WAN for wireless access to university students.
SE at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur
Helpful embedded automation, easy to manage, and high availability
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are its security functionality. We have a lab environment and we have to provide different authentications to the users which are easy to manage. Additionally, there is a lot of useful automation embedded into the system."
- "There are limitations on the SSIDs that could improve. We cannot enable two ways of authenticating users on one SSID. For a number of places, we have to provide different modes of certification for the user which requires us to create another SSID for the broadcast."
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are its security functionality. We have a lab environment and we have to provide different authentications to the users which are easy to manage. Additionally, there is a lot of useful automation embedded into the system.
What needs improvement?
There are limitations on the SSIDs that could improve. We cannot enable two ways of authenticating users on one SSID. For a number of places, we have to provide different modes of certification for the user which requires us to create another SSID for the broadcast.
We have to enable routing from different VLANs, we have to enable DSCP for some extensions. Without it, we cannot receive a dynamic IP address for our clients. We have had to find some workaround ourselves. The problems we have been having occur when we have multiple VLANs. We are using management on the APs which have different access levels than VLANs.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately two years.
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Cisco Wireless WAN
July 2025

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What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is highly stable.
I rate the stability of Cisco Wireless WAN a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is a scalable solution.
We have 50,000 students using the solution. The solution is used often and we plan to increase our usage.
I rate the scalability of Cisco Wireless WAN a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
There is third-party support if needed.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have not used other solutions other than Cisco Wireless WAN.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Cisco Wireless WAN was not simple. There were a lot of steps to do to complete the process. We had some challenges during the process. However, if I was going to do the initial setup again it would be simple. The full process of implementation took approximately three hours.
We install the systems in stages, our first stage was installing the switches, and the second was the APs. Additionally, we were working on the controller during the stages.
I rate the initial setup of Cisco Wireless WAN a three out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
We did the implementation of the solution in-house by two at the controller level and a large team for the 700 APs in two different models we had to manage.
What was our ROI?
We have received a return on investment, it is worth the money we paid.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of the solution is expensive. The license is priced based on the number of APs and controllers used.
I rate the price of Cisco Wireless WAN a one out of ten.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I evaluated D-Link and TP-Link prior to choosing Cisco Wireless WAN.
What other advice do I have?
We use ten network administrators for the maintenance of the solution.
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.

Senior Network Technician at a insurance company with 51-200 employees
Issue-free with helpful support and good reliability
Pros and Cons
- "It just gives you the ability to use it around the office without being tied up to an actual physical connection."
- "A lot of the time, for users, it comes down to pricing. Many would like to see it be a bit less costly."
What is our primary use case?
We just basically use it for wireless throughout our office space.
What is most valuable?
We never had any issues with it. I can't really say that I had any issues or didn't like the product.
It just gives you the ability to use it around the office without being tied up to an actual physical connection.
The initial setup is pretty straightforward.
I've found the solution to be very reliable.
The solution can scale.
Technical support is helpful.
The pricing is pretty reasonable.
What needs improvement?
I cannot recall any areas of improvement.
A lot of the time, for users, it comes down to pricing. Many would like to see it be a bit less costly.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've had zero issues with the stability of the product. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. There are no bugs or glitches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco offers very responsive technical support. They are helpful.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup is pretty straightforward. It's one of the things that you set up, and you don't really touch after. You set it up, and basically, you don't worry about it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We but the equipment. There is no monthly or annual licensing.
The pricing is okay. They offer pretty competitive pricing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We're currently a Cisco shop, and we were thinking about possibly looking into different firewall vendors next year to get an opinion on the different technologies on their next-generation firewalls, just to see what made the most sense as far as comparing different vendors.
We looked at one point, at Fortinet. It is a good platform. I would definitely try to switch to Fortinet if I can. The whole platform pricing standpoint from Fortinet is good. It's a possibility that on our end, we might be switching over to them. Apples to apples, Cisco and Fortinet are very similar and both are quite good.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and end-user.
I'd rate the solution ten out of ten. I've never had any issues with the product.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Wireless WAN
July 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Wireless WAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: July 2025.
863,679 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Architect at PepsiCo
Robust, good support, and scalable
Pros and Cons
- "Cisco Wireless WAN's most valuable feature is it is robust."
- "The price of Cisco Wireless WAN could improve, it is expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cisco Wireless WAN for our branch WAN connectivity. We use it for wireless. It's the heart of the networking of our enterprise.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Wireless WAN's most valuable feature is it is robust.
What needs improvement?
The price of Cisco Wireless WAN could improve, it is expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
We have approximately 200,000 users using this solution. We have no plan to increase the number of users.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support for Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions previously.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Cisco Wireless WAN is straightforward.
The time it takes for the implementation of the solution depends on the solution you are deploying. The wireless controllers take a couple of hours, switches are fairly quick, and data center switches could take a few hours. With routers, it takes a few hours depending on the requirement, the location, and the type of connection, it varies between one hour to eight hours.
What about the implementation team?
I used a consultant for the deployment of Cisco Wireless WAN.
We have approximately 20 engineers that support the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of Cisco Wireless WAN is expensive. There is an annual subscription to use the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sr Police Desk Supervisor at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
It's a reliable, user-friendly solution
Pros and Cons
- "We don't see many troubleshooting issues. Normally, it's a user error when it comes to the JSS or the VPN. Once they log into the system or they get on the internet, then they log directly into the JSS, so they can do their work."
- "If there's a problem, it's usually when Cisco pushes out updates. The users don't always push the updates to their computer, and it causes some issues. It's reliable as long as everyone is doing what they're supposed to."
What is most valuable?
Cisco Wireless WAN is user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
If there's a problem, it's usually when Cisco pushes out updates. The users don't always push the updates to their computer, and it causes some issues. It's reliable as long as everyone is doing what they're supposed to.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We don't see many troubleshooting issues. Normally, it's a user error when it comes to the JSS or the VPN. Once they log into the system or they get on the internet, then they log directly into the JSS, so they can do their work.
There isn't much that can go wrong with the system itself. Any instability is usually caused by internet service provider not providing enough bandwidth to do some of the functions.
How are customer service and support?
We do tech support for a lot of stuff that goes wrong with these computers on a daily basis, but fortunately, the Cisco VPN's just not one of them that we have an issue with.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco Wireless WAN is part of our imaging software. When we image the computers, it goes on there. When a new user comes and gets a computer, we show them how to log into the VPN or log onto the internet. Once you click the button, you're logged in. There's no complexity. It's really user-friendly.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN nine out of 10. My only advice to future Cisco Wireless users is to keep your system updated. Don't delay updates because that's what usually causes problems. People don't accept the updates and put them off because they're doing other things.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Cisco Product Manager at MUK
Offers a user-friendly interface and is simple to use
Pros and Cons
- "Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
- "The support of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required."
What is most valuable?
The solution's most valuable feature is its user-friendly interface. For now, my company is testing the tool on Cisco's IoT solutions. The tool is very simple to use.
What needs improvement?
The support of the product is an area of concern where improvements are required.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for seven years. I am not only a user of the product since I also sell it. It is important for me to know how the product works along with what new features get introduced in the tool. I am a distributor of the tool.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Sometimes, there are some bug-related problems in the product, but they are not critical issues. The reason that my company is impacted by some bug-related issues in the product is that our company might not know something we should be aware of during the configuration phase. If my company faces any problems with the product, then we can connect with Cisco's support team.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a nine out of ten.
My company caters to the needs of small, medium, and enterprise-sized companies.
How are customer service and support?
Two years ago, Cisco's support was normal. For the past two years, the support has not been good. The product's support team operates worldwide.
I rate the support a five out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
I rate the implementation process an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one means that it is a difficult process, and ten means that it is an easy process.
The solution is deployed on the cloud and also on an on-premises model.
The time taken to implement the product to something depends on the network of our company's customers network. If our company's customers have a simple network, the implementation can be done very fast. If our company's customers have tools like Meraki, the implementation process can take three to four days or a week to complete.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the product price a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price.
What other advice do I have?
Speaking about whether the tool gets used in our company for backup connectivity, I would say that our company's engineers use it for testing purposes.
The security features of the product have improved our company's network safety.
The product has sometimes helped our company handle network failure, failover, or recovery areas.
I recommend the product to those who plan to use it.
I rate the overall tool a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Hybrid Cloud
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Distributor
Information Technology System Network Administrator at a financial services firm with 51-200 employees
Good stability but not very user-friendly
Pros and Cons
- "Stability is one aspect that I find very valuable."
- "The console interface is not very user-friendly. It's a bit complex and difficult to navigate."
What is our primary use case?
We have around nearly 150 access points. We use Cisco access points for our business core systems for the employees. All the users connect through this wirelessly.
What is most valuable?
Stability is one aspect that I find very valuable. The signal strength is also very strong.
The connectivity is reliable, and it doesn't have many issues.
What needs improvement?
The console interface is not very user-friendly. It's a bit complex and difficult to navigate. Even some integrations can be challenging. But we can manage eventually.
Therefore, for me, some areas of improvement include integration, pricing, and console.
Scalability is easy, it is stable, and configuring certain things like Mac filtering is also simple. However, I feel the need to enhance the security aspect, especially for guest connectivity.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using it for around five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is really good in Cisco Wireless WAN. I would rate it an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There are no restrictions on scalability. It is a scalable product. We have 150 access points, and there are 350 employees.
How are customer service and support?
The support is good. They have a vendor here currently, and their support is good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not difficult. It's easy because we have been using Cisco for a long time.
Moreover, very little maintenance is required. We just perform some checks and minor tasks. There isn't much maintenance required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a bit expensive compared to others. So it's a little costly.
For us, this is an all-in-one product. It doesn't have separate licenses. When purchased, the product comes with a license. It's a one-time purchase.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We were migrating from the on-prem to the cloud version. We made a comparison analysis b/w different technologies.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco wireless on-prem has moved to Cisco Meraki Access, and Cisco Meraki is the better. We can use the cloud solution. The only thing is the price is a little high. Other than that, all the features and security aspects are really good with Cisco.
Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten. The overall rating is seven due to the higher price and the need for enhancements in the console and security features. The guest Wi-Fi and non-console options are lacking in the older version, although I believe the new version might address that.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Technical Project Manager at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
The network management system is not great, and the solution is incapable of handling a large number of access points
Pros and Cons
- "The access points and controllers are good."
- "The network management system is not great."
How has it helped my organization?
We are satisfied with the product.
What is most valuable?
The access points and controllers are good and do not give us any issues. In addition, the individual access points are good.
What needs improvement?
They recently launched the virtual wireless controller and a new CTI. Unfortunately, it is not scalable, and the performance is not good. Sometimes it hangs, and it has a slow response. We don't have a good experience and are uncomfortable with these elements.
The network management system is not great. It is incapable of handling a large number of access points. They are working on it but have not been able to fix it yet.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for about six years. We are using different models like the Wi-fi 5 model.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good because we have a contract with them. They respond whenever we have an issue.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is okay compared to other products like Aruba and Huawei. However, to be more competitive, Cisco could lower its price.
What other advice do I have?
We have a big infrastructure of about 15,000 to 20,000. So if it works fine for us, it will suit small companies with small networks. We use the controller, and it is fine. I rate this solution a five out of ten, mainly because of the network issues.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Assistant general manager at Beximcocomputers
Useful dashboards, secure, and good support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are the dashboards, security functionality, and Cisco DNA center. The way the solution has integrated within the fabric of the environment with automation is very good."
- "The setup of Cisco Wireless WAN needs an expert. You need someone with experience to be able to work with Cisco Wireless solutions. It took approximately one to two weeks to implement the solution."
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Wireless WAN works well in an enterprise environment.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are the dashboards, security functionality, and Cisco DNA center. The way the solution has integrated within the fabric of the environment with automation is very good.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Wireless WAN could improve the wireless environment visibility. For example, the information regarding bandwidth use, conditions of the network, and application visibility.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is a scalable solution. You are able to purchase as many licenses as required.
I have worked with this solution in large environments. We have had clients with approximately 2,000 users.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Cisco is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Aruba Wireless.
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Cisco Wireless WAN needs an expert. You need someone with experience to be able to work with Cisco Wireless solutions. It took approximately one to two weeks to implement the solution.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation of Cisco Wireless WAN will need at least a field engineer to do the configuration of the appliance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license is not subscription-based.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a ten out of ten.
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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