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Aruba Instant On Switches vs NETGEAR Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 6, 2025

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
4.6
Aruba Instant On Switches are valued for affordability and ease of integration, appealing to startups and service providers.
Sentiment score
6.9
NETGEAR Switches enhance efficiency and profitability through reliability, remote management, and long-term cost savings despite initial investment.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.4
Aruba Instant On Switches support is reliable, with skilled staff, but users request better communication access and quicker resolutions.
Sentiment score
6.8
NETGEAR Switches support is generally effective, though some face challenges with documentation, quick assistance, and complex configurations.
I want more direct communication with the technical support.
System Engineer at University of Kelaniya
I would rate them an eight on a scale of one to ten because the support was good.
Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
There are issues distinguishing which switches support cloud features.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.7
Aruba Instant On Switches offer flexibility and ease for small businesses but have limitations for enterprise-level demands.
Sentiment score
7.0
NETGEAR Switches provide scalable solutions with virtual stacking, supporting high performance and adaptability for diverse network environments.
The product scalability can be deployed on a very large network scale.
Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees
I would rate the scalability of Aruba Instant On Switches as an eight regarding the ability of the product to adapt to our needs.
System Engineer at University of Kelaniya
The scalability of NETGEAR Switches is easy and very beneficial for us.
Assistant Manager ICT at IHS
We used to use a lot of the 4300 switches and they're not completely compatible with the new AV line.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
NETGEAR's scalability through its Insight Cloud system is on par with Ubiquiti's, although it must offer features beyond its competitors.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.0
Aruba Instant On Switches are reliable, easy to install, and offer good performance at a competitive price, despite occasional issues.
Sentiment score
7.8
NETGEAR Switches are reliable and efficient, offering high stability with minor glitches easily fixed through firmware updates.
In terms of stability and scalability, I have not faced any performance issues with Aruba; it functions very well.
Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees
We've experienced failures such as a 16-port dying after three to four years.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
I rarely see glitches, but we had some minor glitches over the past years, and they were easily resolved.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Instant On Switches need better pricing, scalability, feature set, user documentation, and improved management and configuration tools.
NETGEAR Switches need enhanced security, improved management, better performance, and more intuitive interfaces, addressing cost and support concerns.
Aruba Instant On Switches could be improved by utilizing more AI features.
Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
If they can apply more security features to Aruba Instant On Switches, such as network access control including ClearPass, then that would be great.
Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees
Real-time analytics would be helpful regarding the analytics aspect, and this feature is not yet present and would be an improvement regarding analytics.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
They should introduce features like dual firmware or dual boot that allow systems to be updated without downtime.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
They can improve on the commercial part, specifically the cost, as it is higher than other brands.
Assistant Manager ICT at IHS
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Instant On Switches offer competitive pricing and inclusive licensing, praised for cost-effectiveness and compatibility with existing Aruba solutions.
NETGEAR Switches offer excellent value and advanced features, making them ideal for budget-conscious buyers like schools and municipalities.
Economically, its price is acceptable for us.
System Engineer at University of Kelaniya
The pricing was good because they do not nickel and dime on costs.
Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Some high-end switches required for specific advanced features, like precision time protocols, can be more expensive.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
It is an expensive product.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Instant On Switches offer easy setup, cost-effective scalability, and advanced network features for SMBs and SOHOs.
NETGEAR Switches provide affordable, easy-to-manage, energy-efficient networking with diverse models and strong security, ideal for small businesses.
The first valuable aspect of Aruba Instant On Switches is the price because it is affordable, and it is easy to deploy and not complicated regarding licensing because when you purchase it once, you can enjoy it for more than five years or lifetime.
Presale Network Security at a consumer goods company with 1-10 employees
The best features of Aruba Instant On Switches include the ability to remotely monitor the access points and any troubles on the network.
Engagement Manager at a marketing services firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
The precision time protocol feature caught our interest for future use in specific settings like churches, where low latency is required.
Managing Director at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees
The most valuable features are routing and access control.
Assistant Manager ICT at IHS
The best things about NETGEAR Switches are the support they provide and the ease of implementation.
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Instant On Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
2nd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
32
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
NETGEAR Switches
Ranking in LAN Switching
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
57
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (4th), AV Over IP Switching (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the LAN Switching category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Switches is 8.1%, down from 10.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETGEAR Switches is 7.7%, up from 7.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
LAN Switching Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Instant On Switches8.1%
NETGEAR Switches7.7%
Other84.2%
LAN Switching
 

Featured Reviews

MI
System Engineer at University of Kelaniya
Solution offers straightforward management and compatibility, though user support needs direct access improvement
Sometimes some features are not available. For example, the network discovery protocol, LLDP, is not available on some of the switches. When we look at the CLI management, we are considering Cisco, and we are familiar with the Cisco commands. In that case, at the command level, Cisco is much better than Aruba Instant On Switches. Considering the configuration and the CLI level and some of the features, Cisco has better offerings than Aruba Instant On Switches. There are Netgear and some other low-cost switches, but the quality of those is not aligned with our organization's requirements. Overall, I rate Aruba Instant On Switches a seven out of ten.
Tomas Devriese - PeerSpot reviewer
Teamleader Av Installers at solufak
VLAN support has improved audiovisual installations and secures network traffic for our projects
Our major use cases include audiovisual installations and we mainly use the AV line for that. We work with the VLAN support feature The best things about NETGEAR Switches are the support they provide and the ease of implementation. The ease of installation helps with network performance. It helps…
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
12%
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
10%
University
7%
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
University
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business43
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise11
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Instant On Switches?
The solution has a simple deployment and zero border.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant On Switches?
The pricing was good because they do not nickel and dime on costs.
What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Switches?
Aruba Instant On Switches could be improved by utilizing more AI features. They are starting to use some AI capabilities, though I haven't kept up with developments since I left.
How do NETGEAR switches compare with Cisco ethernet switches?
NetGear switches have a lot to offer. They have high availability, zero-downtime stacking, L2 and L3 functionality, and are AV-over-IP ready. NetGear switches also have a command line interface and...
Which switches are better - Ubiquiti Unifi or Netgear?
Ubiquiti Unifi offers a great set of features. For starters, it is easy to configure and implement, and also doesn’t require a learning curve because it is easy to use. It is also simple to reconfi...
What do you like most about NETGEAR Switches?
Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten. I have not faced any issues with the product whatsoever.
 

Also Known As

Aruba Instant On 1930 Switches
NETGEAR Insight Managed Switches, NETGEAR GC Series, NETGEAR M Series
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

KEMET, Vestavia Hills City Schools, Dropbox
Blaze Networks
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant On Switches vs. NETGEAR Switches and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,927 professionals have used our research since 2012.