Aruba Instant vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points comparison

Aruba Instant vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

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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 Instant

Ranking in Wireless LAN

11th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Ranking in Wireless LAN

19th

Average Rating

10.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.0%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SonicWave Access Points is 0.4%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Prashant-Patel

Senior Presales Consultant - Networking Solutions at Mannai

A highly stable and easy-to-deploy solution that is free and provides excellent deployment guides

The setup is very straightforward. There is no complexity at all. It took us 15 minutes. We need IP address details, DNS, a gateway, DHCP servers, and SSIDs. Single access points can act as controller-based, controller-less, and cloud-based solutions. That is the beauty of Aruba. If I have an on-premise solution and want to move to the cloud, I don't need separate hardware. The same hardware can be utilized in the cloud. The deployment guides that we get from Aruba are excellent. We have every piece of detail.

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Winsley De Oliveira

Owner at ANOC

An industry-leading security and wireless solution packaged in one box

We make our customers SonicWall clients. We have a solution package: If you have a contract to network with us, we will deliver SonicWall firewalls, access points, VPN clients, and all the other equipment with the SonicWall solution. We have been selling this solution for the past 30 years. We had a customer three months ago struggling with a Fortinet solution. We convinced them that the Fortinet solution would not work perfectly during renewal. We made a bet and delivered SonicWall equipment for free for one week, and if they had no more issues, they would buy it. That's precisely what happened. The customer ended up purchasing an $80,000 SonicWall solution. The SonicWall SonicWave Access Points are a good product compared to Cisco, Sophos, and Fortinet. In Brazil, Ruckus is taking market share in some key areas, such as hotels and hospitals. They are into big solutions with thousands of access points. Overall, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.

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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

"Aruba Instant's best feature is the ability to manage it in the cloud."

"The products offer a lot of flexibility. Almost everything can be configured. It works very well for providing remote services."

"The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect."

"The integration with ClearPass is the most valuable feature."

"Allows network monitoring through mobile devices"

"The access it grants to wifi is the solution's most valuable feature."

"Aruba Instant is cloud-based, and thus, it improves wireless network performance on cloud platforms. The solution allows network monitoring through devices like mobiles and desktops, which is a feasible option. The tool also has Bluetooth settings so a user can deploy Aruba Instant through a serial number or the Bluetooth option."

"The most valuable features of Aruba Instant are management and performance."

More Aruba Instant pros

"The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to provide cloud access to configure and manage devices."

"The security features of SonicWall are highly valued."

"Unlike the Cisco solution that needs a dedicated wireless controller outside of a firewall, SonicWall has everything in one box. Fortinet is close to it."

"I rate SonicWall a nine out of ten."

"A good management tool that can be managed through the cloud or firewall."

Cons

"For some people, price is a concern."

"They could offer a new model for access points that are outdoors."

"Aruba Instant can improve by increasing the gigabit range of the switch or by adding additional management features and tools. It can be helpful."

"Embedding a heatmap tool within the product would make it easier to conduct a wireless survey."

"I think they're missing roadmaps to the partners and the customers. They're releasing the products, but there are no quick updates to the partners and the customers."

"There is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal."

"The tool's support quality has changed since HPE acquired it. It is also impossible to tell the log dates."

"Aruba Instant is a simple and scalable solution that works well, but the costs you incur from access points could be cheaper."

More Aruba Instant cons

"They are sometimes difficult to manage from the end-user side because they are not yet familiar with the configuration."

"Integrating with the firewall and management console was a little complex."

"We have a lot of overlapping wireless networks with a lot of cheap equipment that does not run on any rules or regulations. The best way to improve the wireless network, like in SonicWaves, is to defeat these networks by isolating, preventing them, or overcoming their wireless signal. We try to do that, but I live near an airport, and the AirPortRadar glitches my wireless network every nine seconds."

"The main issue is the management of the access points. They are sometimes difficult to manage from the end-user side because they are not yet familiar with the configuration."

"The product's pricing is high and could be improved."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"In terms of costs, Aruba Instant is cheap because it doesn't require a license, but you'll incur charges for the access points. Access point charges could be more affordable."

"The product is competitively priced"

"We pay about $300 per access point."

"It's a one time cost, including the upgrades, but you have to pay on a yearly basis if you want support. The price is in the middle in comparison to that of competitors' products."

"Some aspect of the price of Aruba Instant is very economical because if the customer is requiring more features the customer needs to pay a higher amount."

"The tool's pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."

"There’s no licensing required to use the tool."

"I purchased the hardware and there are no monthly or yearly licenses to buy."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"The platform offers yearly licenses."

"The pricing of the SonicWave Access Points solution is different in the US and Brazil. In the US, the solution is priced more competitively than other vendors. In Brazil, the exchange rate is a problem. To address this, SonicWall managers in Brazil are running several sales promotions and improving the price of new units."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

18%

Government

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Ubiquiti WLAN or Aruba Instant?

We researched Ubiquiti and Aruba when looking for a WLAN solution. Ubiquiti offers good WLAN access both indoors and outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...

What do you like most about Aruba Instant?

I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate web...

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant?

In my experience, Aruba Instant's price is reasonable compared to premium products like Ruckus, Cisco, or Juniper. However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher. Overal...

What do you like most about SonicWall SonicWave Access Points?

The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to provide cloud access to configure and manage devices.

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

The platform offers yearly licenses. We receive all the support services through our partners. Thus, there are no extra costs involved. However, some partners might charge for deployment services.

What needs improvement with SonicWall SonicWave Access Points?

The main issue is the management of the access points. They are sometimes difficult to manage from the end-user side because they are not yet familiar with the configuration.

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ExtremeCloud IQ vs Aruba Instant

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Ruckus Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 41% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 32% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

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Product Reports

Aruba Instant

Download Aruba Instant product report

Wireless LAN

Download SonicWall SonicWave Access Points product report

SonicWall SonicWave Access Points report

Also Known As

No data available

SonicWave 200 Series, SonicWave 200 Series Access Points, SonicWave 400 Series, SonicWave 400 Series Access Points

Overview

Aruba Instant delivers the only controllerless Wi-Fi solution that is easy to set-up, and loaded with security and smarts needed to accelerate your business without breaking your budget.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

SonicWall SonicWave series wireless access points (APs) combine high-performance IEEE 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless technology with flexible deployment options. These APs can be managed via the cloud using SonicWall WiFi Cloud Manager (WCM) or through SonicWall's industry-leading next-generation firewalls.

SonicWall

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks

St. Dominic's School for Girls

Aruba Instant vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points