Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs D-Link Wireless comparison

Cisco and D-Link are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Cisco is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.3, while D-Link is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.1. Cisco holds a 13.0% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to D-Link’s 2.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of D-Link users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 8, 2024

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN and D-Link compete in the wireless networking category. Cisco Meraki appears to have the upper hand due to its superior cloud management capabilities and ease of use.

Features: Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers centralized management, easy configuration, and a robust cloud-based dashboard, facilitating the tracking and management of network resources such as access points, switches, and routers. It also includes customizable splash screens, RADIUS, and SSO for enhanced user experience and security. D-Link, in contrast, provides an affordable solution with comprehensive offerings that include switching and static wiring, offering cost savings but limited cloud management and advanced features.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Meraki could enhance its error logging capabilities, enterprise-level customization in its dashboard, and flexibility in subscription options. Some users face challenges with advanced routing and technical support. D-Link requires improvements in technology to meet the advanced solutions of competitors like Cisco, Aruba, and Juniper, particularly in centralized management and support for new technologies such as SD-WAN.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Meraki supports diverse environments with private, public, and hybrid cloud deployments. Its technical support is well-regarded for responsiveness and 24/7 availability. D-Link focuses on on-premises deployment and offers commendable technical support, though its lack of cloud-managed services may restrict flexibility for users needing widespread network coverage.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Meraki's solution is expensive, centering on annual subscriptions. Its ROI is often realized through reduced operational costs and management ease rather than direct savings. Users face cost challenges related to licensing. D-Link presents a competitively priced model with a one-time purchase, suitable for budget-conscious organizations. While the lower price offers good value in smaller settings, it may not match Cisco's efficiency in larger deployments.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. D-Link Wireless Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. D-Link Wireless

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 Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is 13.0%, up from 12.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Wireless is 2.4%, up from 2.4% 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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Danila Fradeani

Strategie, Innovazione e Customer Experience â€“ Analytics & Customer Experience (CEX) Manager at Telecom Italia

Simple-to-use platform with a centralized management system

Deploying Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is relatively easy for our colleagues in the delivery department. They face challenges in planning, learning critical issues, and finding solutions during deployment. However, our team has gained valuable experience handling such deployments over the past three to four years. Currently, I am not directly involved in the configuration, design, or delivery analysis. However, maintenance may present more challenges for us. Our primary proposal for network solutions typically involves Cisco Meraki because our team has a long-standing familiarity and confidence in Cisco technologies. However, we also work with Fortinet, depending on the specific requirements of our customers. We offer both options to ensure we meet the diverse needs of our clients. I rate it an eight out of ten.

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Sivakumar V

Systems Manager at Tata Institute of Social Sciences

A tool that offers a good performance at a good price

Over a period of time, the technologies change, and users may not get the proper things. In general, there is a need to keep changing devices after a period of five years, especially considering that I operate in a university where we don't have closed offices, while the devices' performance level goes down in open spaces. Though in our institution, we tried to make some changes to the product, we know that nothing much is going to change. In our institution, we plan to have indoor and room-based APs, but even then, some of the rooms don't come in a dust-free environment, so there is a need for us to experiment with the product as the degrading of the devices and signals still keeps happening. In our institution, we are making some changes to adopt to an indoor-based system. For certain setups, D-Link Wireless works better and ensures that users get value for their money. If you know how to maintain a technology, then it can help you. I rate the overall tool an eight to nine 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

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

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

"The most useful feature of Juniper Wireless AP is the reporting Marvis."

"With Mist, every Wednesday they roll out new features."

"It's well-detailed in terms of troubleshooting logs."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is Marvis, the AI-driven network management system."

"Juniper Mist offers valuable features like comprehensive network insight, granular policy control, fast device setup, strong security, and efficient SSL traffic management."

"The most valuable feature of Juniper Mist is the Virtual Network Assistant, powered by artificial intelligence."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points pros

"The emailing of statuses is the most valuable feature."

"The product's cloud controller is easy to use."

"I really don't have any problems with the stability of the product."

"The single dashboard of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is the most valuable feature for me."

"Cloud management, wireless infrastructure, and implementation are all valuable features."

"Meraki WLAN is easy to deploy, includes a cloud controller, and updates continuously. It also offers high visibility."

"The most valuable features in Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN are that we were able to see all the registered users for each particular WAP, which is a big help. The roaming allows us to have continuous wireless throughout the building. The signal can carry over from one WAP to another. Which is probably the most important feature."

"The solution ensures seamless connectivity as users move within the office. Six installed Meraki APs provide excellent coverage for around three hundred users, offering reliable speeds. Additionally, the system allows guests and users with priority devices to connect using their SAP ID. The traffic is managed through D and G controllers to meet the specified requirements for continuous connection and speed."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN pros

"The system simplifies network management."

"This product is user-friendly and we can manage it as per the requirements of the user."

"This is an affordable product that offers good performance. This is why it is popular with our customers. It offers good speed and bandwidth."

"I like the product's signal continuity and range. We can receive the signal up to 20-30 meters from the wireless antenna."

"The connectivity is good."

"D-Link Wireless is a tool that is used since it is an easy and user-friendly product."

"The solution is extremely easy to install. You just add them and in a few clicks, they are ready to go."

"The setup process is very easy."

More D-Link Wireless pros

Cons

"I need a bit more time with it before criticizing the features."

"Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points’ support services need improvement."

"The price could be better."

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

"Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series) could improve if the MIST platform had a built-in master key. This would be an advantage."

"The pricing is very high in the Indian market."

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

"The solution is expensive."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points cons

"There should be better Spanish-language technical support."

"The only concern is when the license has expired and it will no longer function, the entire network goes down, without any notification, or warning."

"We have used technical support for some issues but not many times."

"The error logs need to be much more comprehensive."

"It would be good to integrate with ISE in the future."

"Recently I have seen that the Meraki access point, maybe due to congestion, just kicks off my customers, mostly when they are in Zoom meetings or Teams meetings and they have to reconnect."

"Concern when there are a number of concurrent users."

"The pricing structure could be improved."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN cons

"D-Link has some catching up to do in terms of advancing and improving its technology."

"Sometimes, the solution needs to be restarted."

"D-Link Wireless’s stability needs improvement."

"It would definitely help if we had more advanced features for distributing bandwidth."

"The cloud managed solution needs improvement, and they should focus on the SD-WAN segment with regard to integration."

"Sometimes we configure the SSID with a password but the same AP shows two WiFi connections with the same SSID name (one is protected by a password and another one give access without a password)."

"The support offered by the product needs to be faster with better technical personnel."

"The solution's performance could be improved."

More D-Link Wireless cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

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

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

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

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

"The solution is expensive."

"I rate the product price as a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is inexpensive, and ten is expensive. It is a reasonably priced tool."

"The pricing is fair."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points pricing and cost advice

"We do a three-year or five-year license and support. Its price could be better, but overall, we get competitive prices. A lot of times, Cisco puts itself out of range, especially with Meraki. I've dealt with a lot of business development from Cisco, and they have always been accommodating, especially in dealing with hospitals or government. There is also a right time to buy it. July is when they are eager to sell a lot of things because that is the end of their calendar year."

"The price of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is per unit and it has annual maintenance costs."

"Since it's been acquired by Cisco, it's an even higher cost."

"The product is expensive. I rate the pricing a nine out of ten."

"The pricing is based on a subscription and is a bit high at the moment."

"The platform is more expensive than other solutions."

"It's not super expensive and it's not super cheap."

"It could be more affordable than other solutions."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN pricing and cost advice

"The cost can range from $100 to $400."

"This solution is more affordable than others on the market."

"D-Link pricing is very competitive when you consider other OEMs."

"D-Link Wireless is cheaper than Ruckus or Cisco."

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap and ten is very expensive, I rate the pricing an eight out of ten."

"D-Link Wireless' price is the same as Aruba's. You need to pay one-time costs for the product."

"The product is affordable."

"There is no licensing fee for the solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

20%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

17%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

University

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

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.

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

Supporting multiple protocols would be beneficial.

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What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?

Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they h...

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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...

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How does Ruckus Wireless compare to Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?

Cisco’s Meraki Virtual MX is a virtual instance of the Meraki SD-WAN appliance. We liked the Meraki. The Wifi APs are...

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Which wireless solution would you choose - Huawei or D-Link?

Huawei wireless is a strong and solid product that has a lot of features - and for all that it offers, it happens to ...

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What do you like most about D-Link Wireless?

The tool supports new technologies.

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Wireless?

The tool’s pricing is good for the functionality it provides. It is a one-time purchase. The cost can range from $100...

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Comparisons

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

Fortinet FortiAP vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 4% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points

Compared 4% of the time

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 32% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 10% of the time

Mist AI and Cloud vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 7% of the time

Ubiquiti Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 5% of the time

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Competitors

Huawei Wireless vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 58% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 12% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 12% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 7% of the time

More D-Link Wireless 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

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

December 2024

Download Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN product report

Buyer's Guide

D-Link Wireless

December 2024

Download D-Link Wireless product report

Also Known As

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

MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN

D-Link WLAN

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Juniper

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Cisco

D-Link

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.

Cisco Meraki access points are built from the highest grade components and carefully optimized for a seamless user experience. The outcome: faster connections, greater user capacity, more coverage, and fewer support calls. The Cisco Meraki dashboard gives visibility into the network users, their devices, and their applications. Armed with rich analytics, administrators can quickly create access control and application usage policies, optimizing both the end-user experience and network security.

D-Link Wireless offers a wide range of robust wireless Access Points (APs) operating in both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands, supporting the latest wireless standards including 802.11ac and 802.11n. These access points can be managed independently as standalone devices, or collectively by using Central Wi-Fi Manager, a free centralized controller software that can be installed on a Windows server or PC.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins

Metropolitan Public Defender, Mission Motorcycles

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. D-Link Wireless

December 2024

Free Report: Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. D-Link Wireless

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. D-Link Wireless and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.

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