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Aruba Instant vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

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
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.1
Number of Reviews
50
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
SonicWall SonicWave Access ...
Ranking in Wireless LAN
19th
Average Rating
10.0
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
3
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.1%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SonicWave Access Points is 0.4%, down from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

Prashant-Patel - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Winsley De Oliveira - PeerSpot reviewer
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.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The most valuable features of the solution are in the areas like routing and VLAN."
"This is a very solid product. It is very powerful."
"I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."
"The deployment guides that we get from Aruba are excellent."
"The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console."
"The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect."
"Works automatically in terms of setup with the product finding its master wifi access point."
"The quick setup and automatic code embedded in one access point is really useful."
"A good management tool that can be managed through the cloud or firewall."
"The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to provide cloud access to configure and manage devices."
"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."
 

Cons

"There was only ever one case in which an access point failed, but it was reintegrated. The issue was more of a matter of oversight. One part of the network had covered ten access points."
"The tool's customer service should improve."
"We have faced delay in customer support which has affected our business performance. So the customer support needs to be prompt in their responses."
"The reach of the solution could be improved. It could be a bit stronger."
"An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud."
"The support offered by Aruba is slow."
"The restart time should be improved."
"The only issue we've had is getting equipment supplies. The availability of the APs that I want to use has been an issue. It took almost two months to get them the first time. I've ordered a few more for another client, and they're still on back order. It has been over a month now."
"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."
"Integrating with the firewall and management console was a little complex."
"The product's pricing is high and could be improved."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product has increased its pricing by at least 30 percent."
"The customers do not have to pay for licensing."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"Aruba Instant is affordable."
"The cost was affordable."
"The solution's pricing is reasonable."
"I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten."
"The product is competitively priced"
"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."
"The platform offers yearly licenses."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
17%
Government
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
8%
 

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?
The licensing costs depend on the product. The smaller switch is around one hundred and twenty euros. We do not sell very expensive devices as we move to other products.
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 product's pricing is high and could be improved. They could introduce a version that is low in terms of cost, considering the market they cater to. Additionally, they could provide a variety of...
 

Also Known As

No data available
SonicWave 200 Series, SonicWave 200 Series Access Points, SonicWave 400 Series, SonicWave 400 Series Access Points
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks
St. Dominic's School for Girls
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points and other solutions. Updated: January 2025.
831,158 professionals have used our research since 2012.