Aruba Access Points vs Cisco Wireless comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Cisco are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #5 with an average rating of 8.7, while Cisco is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.6. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 0.8% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Cisco’s 11.8% mindshare. Additionally, 93% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 88% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Aruba Access Points

Read 36 Aruba Access Points reviews

473 Views
367 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Cisco Wireless

Read 151 Cisco Wireless reviews

18,506 Views
17,075 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Aruba Access Points

Cisco Wireless

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Cisco Wireless Access Points and Aruba Access Points compete in the wireless networking category. Cisco has a slight advantage due to its focus on integration with its products and centralized management capabilities.

Features: Cisco focuses on enhanced security, stability, and integration features such as Cisco CleanAir and seamless roaming, making it particularly strong in centralized management. Aruba emphasizes security, ease of installation and management, and strong controller features, ensuring reliable performance across numerous devices.

Room for Improvement: Cisco can improve its user interface, reduce licensing complexity, and lower costs. Users note challenges with cloud-based management and configuration simplicity. Aruba could enhance integration, automation, and technical support response time, with users highlighting concerns about product availability and licensing complexity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco is generally deployed on-premises, while Aruba offers both on-premises and cloud deployment options. Cisco is praised for reliable technical support and extensive documentation, though response times can lag. Aruba is noted for quick resolution times but faces issues with product availability.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco is perceived as expensive, with justified costs due to product stability and features. Significant investment is required for licenses and support, with long-term ROI reported. Aruba is considered competitively priced with annual subscription fees and licensing costs, offering affordability for long-term use.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Access Points vs. Cisco Wireless Report (Updated: January 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Access Points vs. Cisco Wireless

January 2025

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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Access Points

Ranking in Wireless LAN

5th

Average Rating

8.8

Reviews Sentiment

7.1

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Wireless

Ranking in Wireless LAN

3rd

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.6

Number of Reviews

151

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Access Points is 0.8%, up from 0.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Wireless is 11.8%, down from 16.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Trevor Fernandes

Team Lead at a manufacturing company with 5,001-10,000 employees

This is a reliable product that is easy to scale thanks to its virtual controller

Aruba's virtual controller is the most important feature. I also have TP-Link, Huawei, and D-Link access points, and normally those solutions have a controller, which is a separate software or hardware used to control all of these. But Aruba's virtual controller basically sits in one of the access points, and if that particular access point goes down, the controller automatically migrates to the next available access point. With this feature, I firstly don't need any additional hardware for a controller. Secondly, I don't need maintenance for it. A virtual controller that roams around from one device to another automatically makes life very easy for me. My access points are nearly ten years old, so though they now have 2.4 and 5 GHz options, features like the captive portal for the guest Wi-Fi, avoiding sticky clients between two Aruba devices, reduced authentication, and the ability to look at the IDS are all still very advanced.

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GulfrazAhmad

Division Head Enterprise Infrastructure (SVP) at a financial services firm with 10,001+ employees

Integrates with ISE, and is secure, reliable, and easy to deploy

The main concern is the length and overlapping. We have to put on four to six access points on the same floor, and we face the issue of overlapping areas. If Cisco can extend the range of their indoor APs, we would need to install just one or two access points, and it would eliminate the problem of the overlapping area. They should provide built-in features for safe authentication. Right now, we integrate with ISE and FortiClient for this feature. We first check the NAC, and after the NAC and before the domain, a token password installed on their mobile or a physical token is required to join the network. If Cisco had built-in authentication, we would be able to eliminate one product from our network.

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Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The product is quite accessible and reliable."

"The tool's most valuable feature is better connectivity."

"It is a reliable solution with good coverage."

"Aruba Access Points is an economical solution."

"The deployment process is straightforward."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is its stability."

"I like the solution because of its throughput and low latency. It has resolved roaming issues for my customers."

"Aruba Access Points’ most valuable features are network mobility and reliability for network access."

More Aruba Access Points pros

"Overall, Cisco was stable and worked well for all our needs until we started having more and more students and teachers using YouTube and Zoom — what with classes being isolated and everything — which put a lot of strain on our Wi-Fi network."

"Wireless connectivity is the main feature. It is also securely integrated with ISE, which is valuable because, in the banking industry, we also cover the security aspect. This Wi-Fi controller integrates with the ISE system that we have. Every user that comes on the wireless needs to log in with the domain. If they don't, it will not allow the user to join the network. This is the key feature of this solution."

"Our organization has improved using this product because it helps enhance user experience. We use video communication a lot, like Skype. We used to get a lot of interference before and had a lot of issues during wireless voice or video calls. We get greater speed and performance with wireless now. It is nearly the same as a wired network."

"The ability to make different types of networks, such as land networks, is the most valuable part of the solution."

"This product has a Clean Air Solution, which means it can detect non-WiFi signals. It not only signals but it can also detect that what type of device it is coming from. And if it needs to change the channel in order to avoid that unwanted signal, it can do so and that way the client machine will have better performance."

"Cisco is one of the leading vendors and is at the top of many lists. The access software is robust, and the performance of the devices is excellent."

"The features that I have found most valuable with Cisco Wireless is that the average connectivity for this WIFI access point is 2.5 gigabytes. That's the highest technology and highest connectivity. They started using the new technology and WIFI to get you a faster connectivity."

"Cisco's technical support is very good, I've never had an issue with their technical support."

More Cisco Wireless pros

Cons

"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."

"The integration capabilities of the product with the tools from other vendors is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"The product's prices are an area of concern. The product should be available at a lower price point."

"I am not able to integrate Aruba Access Points in Azure AD. It is also quite expensive."

"The product is highly priced. They could improve pricing."

"The licensing models lack clarity."

"The support from Aruba, as well as the overall HPE unit, has been lacking. The regional head and hepatic services are nonresponsive, leading to a decline in market share. While Aruba is recognized for its top-notch quality, especially in switching technology, the services and support in the African region need significant improvement. There is a suggestion to focus on enhancing services, support, and presale activities in this region to address the challenges faced by customers, particularly in healthcare. Continued emphasis on research and development, along with addressing regional issues, is recommended for sustained success."

"The product should provide more coverage."

More Aruba Access Points cons

"The price could be better. The configuration is also complex. It would be better if there's an NEC solution. That's one of the things we really want to have. It should also be as fast as possible."

"There's a delay in equipment that comes to Columbia, to our country, and that lasts almost six months."

"Cisco's architecture is becoming complex."

"The price should be reduced. It should be cheaper."

"Sometimes I've seen some issues come up with the interference. That's an issue users face at times. It becomes very complex when you have a lot of wireless interference in the area, or in your office. It's because of the environment of Cisco. Maybe, in the future, they can work on this area, and fix this issue."

"The pricing could be better. It could be cheaper."

"It would be better if some utility lets us know the best place to install the system. Every time we install it, we have to change it, and we have to add more access points. This is a problem we have all the time. It would be better if it integrated seamlessly with products from other vendors. It'll also help if they included a device diagnostics feature in the next release."

"The pricing of Brazil is very expensive. When you look at other options, they are much cheaper."

More Cisco Wireless cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's pricing is nominal and not as costly as Cisco's."

"I implemented seven access points in 2015, and I only spent $6,000 for the whole project."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"My company needs to pay yearly for the licensing costs attached to the product. There are no additional payments towards the solution apart from its licensing costs."

"The product is cheaper than Cisco and Huawei."

"The cost of Aruba Access Points has been on the rise, which may be due to market dynamics or regional factors, such as in Egypt. Additionally, the availability of Aruba products is a concern, with a lead time of approximately twelve months. This prolonged waiting period and a lack of responsiveness from HP, the parent company of Aruba, have led to the cancellation of some orders. The supply chain for Aruba appears to face challenges, impacting product delivery timelines."

"The product is more expensive than two of its competitors."

"The solution is expensive and licensing costs are yearly. Customers have to pay extra costs for service and subscription apart from the hardware cost."

More Aruba Access Points pricing and cost advice

"The product could be priced better."

"Cisco Wireless is a little bit expensive when compared to other solutions."

"The price of Cisco Wireless is in the high range compared to other solutions. The solution could be less expensive."

"I rate the tool's pricing a nine out of ten."

"The pricing is okay. I believe it is competitively priced. But it is not just the price by itself, it's the price and the technical features. The features also play a big role. It has to give me the relevant output."

"I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."

"The solution does not come with a licensing fee."

"It's expensive because a lot of the controls come with licenses."

More Cisco Wireless pricing and cost advice

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Comparison Review

it_user212721

President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

Mar 24, 2015

Cisco vs. Aruba Wireless Solutions

Cisco or Aruba Networks? If you are considering wireless access solutions, this is a common question that you are probably asking. You probably have sales people knocking at your door. How do you make sense of all the stories that you are presented with. If you have done any research, you are…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

12%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Access Points?

After we installed the Aruba switches, the work became faster because the network speed improved.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Access Points?

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 l...

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What needs improvement with Aruba Access Points?

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 ...

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Which is better - Cisco Wireless or Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?

Cisco Wireless is very robust, very rugged, and can handle indoor and outdoor coverage extremely well. We found it to be very reliable and to consistently run very efficiently. Cisco Wireless helpe...

See all answers

Which is better - Ruckus Wireless or Cisco Wireless?

Ruckus Wireless offers users the benefit of being both easy to set up and get running as well as being very user friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...

See all answers

How does Cisco Wireless compare with Aruba Wireless?

On the most basic level, Cisco Wireless can offer a rather straightforward initial setup. In the span of about three hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...

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Comparisons

Fortinet FortiAP vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 81% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 5% of the time

More Aruba Access Points Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 36% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 25% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 6% of the time

Fortinet FortiAP vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 4% of the time

More Cisco Wireless Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Access Points

January 2025

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Buyer's Guide

Cisco Wireless

January 2025

Download Cisco Wireless product report

Also Known As

No data available

Cisco WLAN Controller

Overview

Aruba Access Points are a preferred choice for enterprises, providing efficient wireless connectivity across corporate settings, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities with both indoor and outdoor deployment options.

Aruba Access Points deliver reliable Wi-Fi and network access tailored for enterprise and guest connectivity, supporting IoT devices in diverse environments such as warehouses and offices. They ensure secure connections with features like VPN management and 802.1x authentication, along with flexibility in deployment. Users can benefit from their robust warranty, ease of use, and seamless integration possibilities. The devices facilitate convenient management through both on-premise and cloud solutions, although there is a need for improved coverage, security, and integration features.

What are the standout features of Aruba Access Points?

Virtual Controller: Manages multiple Access Points without additional hardware.
Client Match: Ensures devices connect to the best access point available.
Seamless Roaming: Provides uninterrupted connectivity without drop-offs.
Integration Capabilities: Allows easy incorporation of enterprise wireless solutions.
Advanced Authentication: Offers 802.1x and secure guest access.

What benefits or ROI can users look for?

High Stability: Consistent performance minimizes downtime.
Simple Configuration: Easy setup saves time and resources.
Network Mobility: Supports movement with uninterrupted access.
Visibility: Provides network insights for better management.
Warranty and Support: Offers robust warranty terms.

In specific industries, Aruba Access Points are implemented to enhance patient record access and guest connectivity in healthcare, support interactive learning environments in education, and streamline operations in warehouses with IoT integration. Their deployment aligns with industry-specific requirements, ensuring reliable connectivity and secure access to critical applications.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Wireless is a comprehensive suite of wireless solutions designed to deliver secure, high-performance connectivity for enterprises of all sizes. Offering a range of access points, controllers, and advanced management tools, Cisco Wireless ensures seamless and reliable network access, enhancing mobility and productivity.

Cisco Wireless solutions provide robust, scalable wireless networks capable of supporting high-density environments and diverse applications. With features such as seamless roaming, advanced security protocols, and detailed analytics, Cisco Wireless addresses the needs of modern businesses. The solutions include the Cisco Catalyst and Aironet series access points, wireless LAN controllers, and the Cisco DNA Center for centralized management and automation.

What are the key features of Cisco Wireless?

High-Density Performance: Optimized for environments with a high number of devices, ensuring reliable connectivity and performance.
Advanced Security: Incorporates robust security measures such as WPA3, Secure Boot, and segmentation to protect data and devices.
Seamless Roaming: Enables uninterrupted connectivity as users move across different areas within the network.
Centralized Management: Cisco DNA Center provides a single pane of glass for managing and automating wireless networks, enhancing operational efficiency.
Flexible Deployment Options: Supports various deployment models, including on-premises, cloud-managed, and hybrid solutions.

What benefits should users look for in reviews when evaluating Cisco Wireless?

Improved Mobility and Productivity: Users often highlight how Cisco Wireless enhances user mobility and productivity through reliable and consistent connectivity.
Scalability: Reviews frequently mention the scalability of Cisco Wireless, making it suitable for growing businesses.
Ease of Management: Many users appreciate the centralized management capabilities, which simplify network administration and troubleshooting.
Enhanced Security: The advanced security features are often noted for providing peace of mind and compliance with industry standards.
User Experience: The overall user experience, including ease of use and seamless integration with other Cisco products, is a common point of praise.

Cisco Wireless solutions are implemented across various industries, including healthcare, education, retail, and manufacturing. In healthcare, they support critical applications like patient monitoring and electronic health records. Educational institutions use Cisco Wireless to provide reliable internet access for students and staff. Retailers benefit from enhanced customer experiences through in-store connectivity, while manufacturers use wireless networks to improve operational efficiency and automation.

Pricing and licensing for Cisco Wireless solutions are typically based on the scale of deployment and specific product selections. Cisco offers various support plans, including 24/7 customer service, technical support, and access to software updates and patches.

In summary, Cisco Wireless provides robust, scalable wireless networking solutions that enhance connectivity, security, and management for diverse enterprise environments.

Cisco

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Aegean Motorway, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Brunel University London, Bucks County Intermediate Unit , Chartwell School, Children's Hospital Colorado, Cisco Live Milan, City of Biel, City of Mississauga, Dundee Precious Metals, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Erickson Living, Goldcorp, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS)

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Access Points vs. Cisco Wireless

January 2025

Free Report: Aruba Access Points vs. Cisco Wireless

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