Aruba Instant vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and WatchGuard are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.5, while WatchGuard is ranked #24 with an average rating of 6.0. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.1% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to WatchGuard’s 0.5% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 80% of WatchGuard users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Aruba Instant and WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi are contenders in the wireless networking sector. WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi takes the lead thanks to its comprehensive security features, even though Aruba Instant is more attractive in terms of pricing.

Features: Aruba Instant provides seamless scalability, intuitive management through a centralized platform, and advanced AI-driven security capabilities. It is well-suited for small to medium businesses seeking efficient network management. WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi delivers superior security with advanced threat detection, robust cloud-managed controls, and exceptional features catering to enterprises focused on security.

Room for Improvement: Aruba Instant could enhance its feature set to match enterprise-grade security expectations and improve customization options for large deployments. WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi could simplify its initial deployment process, refine user interface for ease of use, and enhance integration with third-party tools for broader application.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Instant offers hassle-free setup and prompt customer support, allowing businesses to quickly adapt. However, WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi, despite being slightly more complex to deploy, offers extensive documentation and training resources that support its feature-rich environment.

Pricing and ROI: Aruba Instant stands out with competitive setup costs and promising ROI due to its cost-effective structure. WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi requires a higher initial investment but is justified by long-term reliability and enhanced security features, appealing to security-focused businesses that seek higher value ROI.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

December 2024

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Categories and Ranking

Juniper Mist Wireless Acces...

Mindshare comparison

As of December 2024, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points is 5.7%, up from 2.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.1%, down from 2.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi is 0.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Gyan Sharma

Assistant Programmer at Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha

Offers good performance, good solution and smooth implementation

I do have a suggestion: it would be helpful to have even stronger security features to help protect against interference from other nearby access points that aren't part of our network. If there are access points from other brands installed nearby; they can cause interference and disrupt the range of our Mist access points. So, the security features could be stronger, especially in terms of authentication. The connectivity is excellent, but security needs improvement. In future releases, integrating more AI features would be beneficial. If Mist had stronger AI features, it could provide better security against network threats and cyberattacks. So, this solution still needs to improve its AI capabilities. It would be great if the AI could improve the range of the access points, and auto-protect functionality should be there to avoid interference by other nearby access points and enhance threat detection. In the future, I'd like to see stronger threat detection features integrated with Mist, as well as better detection of nearby access points that might cause interference.

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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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WarrenWilliams

Senior Account Manager at Bralin Technology Solutions

A solution that offers excellent support and makes it easy to manage networks

To utilize the solution properly, you need some training and guidance on that. Getting it working is easy, but if you're going to use it with feature sets that make WatchGuard worthwhile to use, it's probably not the easiest to set up. I'd rate the initial setup a seven out of ten. The time taken to deploy the solution depends on the project scope you're doing. Do you need ten WiFi access points or one? You could deploy the solution in an hour. We need one person to deploy the solution. But the number of people required for deployment depends on where the access points are deployed. Like, if it's the ceiling or whatever. The way we do it, we usually have an on-site technician who sets up the backend. We usually have two people when deploying the solution, but you can do it with one person. We have a team that manages the solution. But if you have ten people on a site to manage the solution, 15 minutes daily is enough.

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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 solution is very secure."

"The solution is stable."

"It provides private network access, helping us protect our company’s devices."

"Mist AI is a very powerful feature. Juniper is the only company that has introduced AI into networking."

"The product is quite user-friendly and easy to deploy, so one should definitely consider buying it."

"The AI capabilities of Mist Wireless are superior to other OEMs."

"The most valuable feature of Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series) is the ability to troubleshoot ports on the network. Additionally, when there is an update on the APs they are able to reboot quickly reducing downtime. Other solutions have a longer downtime when updates are done."

"For the most part, it does what it's supposed to do, and I like it. It's a great product."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points pros

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward, considering that the tool offers a ZTP feature."

"The tool's most valuable feature is Captive Portal, which we employ for our guest network. It enables us to create a separate virtual subnet for guests, ensuring their network traffic remains isolated from our office network. Another valuable feature is its role-based access control. This functionality allows us to assign different access privileges to users based on their roles within the organization."

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

"You don't have to deal with licenses."

"It's a good solution for small businesses because it's easy to figure out. It's simple to set Aruba up in any configuration, like link aggregation or static loads. It's suitable for less complicated configurations, whereas Cisco devices are bigger and more difficult to implement."

"The most valuable feature is that it provides a redundant wireless connection for a client."

"Has many advanced features: Built-in firewall, local radius, application visibility and control, not locked into support agreements."

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

More Aruba Instant pros

"The solution has been stable."

"It makes it easy to obtain all information about the client experience."

"They're very easy to set up and get running."

"The Wi-Fi security features of this solution have been great for our customers who need to strictly control access to their network."

"Cloud analytics that provide all its attributes."

"We like that WatchGuard works and integrates directly with the firewalls we use."

Cons

"They should include SD-WAN features to it."

"The solution is expensive."

"Though certain security features are integrated into the product, my company has to always look forward to tightening certain security functionalities in the solution."

"Supporting multiple protocols would be beneficial."

"The product should include adaptive Wi-Fi to show a more accurate location."

"Enrolling into the tool is a tedious process."

"Juniper Wireless AP can improve by continually improving its reporting and integration with other systems."

"If you want to do more specific stuff, it's a bit limited."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points cons

"This solution would be improved if they supplied free software controllers."

"I believe there's room for improvement in monitoring, especially when troubleshooting issues. Currently, there's limited intelligence around monitoring. It needs to improve stability and scalability."

"The Central cloud management (optional) is far behind the competition in features, ease of use, and dependability. I have tried Aruba Central a few times over the years and, in my option, it is not where it needs to be for serious consideration in production environments."

"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."

"It is good as it is. If anything, its reporting could be improved."

"The reach of the solution could be improved. It could be a bit stronger."

"It would be better if Aruba Instant could provide more security for customers."

"It is not powerful enough and lacks features recommended for larger dimensions, making it unsuitable for big companies with requirements like 100 access points."

More Aruba Instant cons

"The price of this solution needs to reviewed, as it is currently high enough to deter customers from trying it."

"The solution can be scaled but it has limitations from my experience."

"I don't think they're available at the best price."

"Inability to import a user with one click."

"If a client device had issues with authentication due to out of date browser or similar difficulties, it would be nice to have the ability to migrate the client onto the portal via one click."

"One of the things is if you buy it with a certain subscription, you can't easily change the subscription level."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"If a customer has a budget of around five lakhs in Indian currency, they can afford Juniper products."

"We pay maybe 1000 SEK per year, per access point."

"Juniper Wireless AP's price is a little more expensive than other solutions, but you get what you pay for."

"The pricing is something Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series) can work on. The pricing is very high compared to the competition."

"I rate Juniper Mist's pricing a ten out of ten since it is expensive."

"I rate the pricing an eight out of ten."

"The pricing is fair."

"The pricing is too high."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points 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."

"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."

"The product is reasonably priced."

"Avoid the Central cloud license if you can."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten."

"It is not expensive. Its price is fair. You get many features with the normal licensing. If I look at Cisco, it is very expensive if I need similar things."

"The customers do not have to pay for licensing."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"The solution is priced high compared to competitors. However, for the features that are included in the solution, the price becomes more reasonable."

"Your licensing and cost, as would be required for many other solutions, being considered for eighty to two hundred and eighty different physical locations, is just about the same amount per access point."

"WatchGuard is on the upper scale for pricing."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Government

Computer Software Company

12%

Retailer

11%

Comms Service Provider

Non Profit

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series)?

The solution is very secure.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series)?

Juniper Mist is cheaper than Meraki, placing it in the middle of the pack.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series)?

Supporting multiple protocols would be beneficial.

See all answers

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 ...

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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...

See all answers

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 ...

See all answers

What do you like most about WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi?

We like that WatchGuard works and integrates directly with the firewalls we use.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi?

WatchGuard is on the upper scale for pricing.

See all answers

What needs improvement with WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi?

One of the things is if you buy it with a certain subscription, you can't easily change the subscription level. For e...

See all answers

Comparisons

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 44% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 18% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 4% of the time

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 1% of the time

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points Competitors

Omada Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 31% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 16% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant

Compared 14% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 9% of the time

Cambium Networks Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant

Compared 2% of the time

More Aruba Instant Competitors

Ubiquiti WLAN vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 31% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 22% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 18% of the time

Fortinet FortiWLM vs WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Compared 8% of the time

More WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

December 2024

Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points report

Download Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points product report

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

December 2024

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

November 2024

Download WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi product report

Also Known As

Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series), Mist Access Points

No data available

Learn More

Juniper

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

WatchGuard

Overview

Juniper Wireless Access Points work in conjunction with Juniper Mist Cloud Services and Mist AI to deliver premier wireless access capabilities. The Juniper Mist Edge extends microservices to the campus to bring agility and scale while enabling new applications at the edge.

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.

WatchGuard is a global leader in network security, secure Wi-Fi, and network intelligence products and services for SMBs and Distributed Enterprises worldwide. Our mission is to make enterprise-grade security accessible to companies of all types and sizes through simplicity, making WatchGuard an ideal solution for distributed enterprises and SMBs. WatchGuard is headquartered in Seattle, Washington, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Latin America.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

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

Portsmouth Grammar School, HILOTEC

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

December 2024

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant vs. WatchGuard Secure Wi‑Fi and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.

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