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Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs D-Link Wireless comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 29, 2026

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

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Ranking in Wireless LAN
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
4.4
Number of Reviews
122
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
D-Link Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
16th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is 9.6%, down from 12.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Wireless is 2.3%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN9.6%
D-Link Wireless2.3%
Other88.1%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

DolfKrikke - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Architect at Previder
Centralized management has simplified remote branch control and improved network visibility
Cisco Meraki Wireless is very powerful and very easy to manage. The solution is also integrating Cisco Catalyst Wireless products into their portfolio, and they are managing the Catalyst switches as well. The seamless roaming capabilities function well. I monitor network performance with Meraki's real-time analytics. The most useful metrics to my team are the internet performance metrics, as there is a lot of information in the dashboard that I can access. All auditing and event logs are centralized in the dashboard. When I need to apply to compliance requirements or other regulatory needs, I can have my auditing in one place, which is an advantage. I use Cisco Meraki Wireless's Layer 7 application traffic shaping with the MX and the Meraki MX Firewalls.
NadirShahzad - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Wireless projects run smoothly with more access point support and competitive pricing
D-Link Wireless offers more supported APs to the WLC with the default license compared to other brands like Cisco. With Cisco, only four to five APs are connected with the default license, but D-Link Wireless provides more flexibility. Local support in Pakistan is necessary for those with limited budgets, creating a reach in the market.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"For Meraki, the ease of deployment and management is most valuable."
"The user interface is very simple and easy to use — our customers are very satisfied."
"Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN was easy to deploy and use, it gives us the functionality that we need to maintain our infrastructure functions, and at the same time, it does provide the security that everybody's looking for these days."
"The dashboard is the solution's most valuable 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."
"It has improved our organization immensely."
"Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is a user-friendly solution that has good performance and stability."
"We plan to continue using this solution and I would recommend it to others."
"The system simplifies network management."
"The setup process is very easy."
"This is an affordable product that offers good performance. This is why it is popular with our customers. It offers good speed and bandwidth."
"D-Link comes with a complete solution including wireless, switching, and static wiring."
"It's scalable, user friendly, and easy to manage."
"The solution is extremely easy to install. You just add them and in a few clicks, they are ready to go."
"For small businesses, this is definitely a product that I recommend."
"Technical support is quite good. We also have a local team and engineers trained by D-Link."
 

Cons

"The cost is not so much for Wireless LAN, but when you have to get the security license, it costs a lot."
"Some of their first level support staff does not seem to be well-versed with how to solve those issues."
"There is a processing limitation when you have multiple SSIDs, above three or four."
"Documentation could be improved, but everything else has been spot-on."
"The user interface needs to be improved."
"The ease of use is average. It could be more user-friendly."
"The biggest pain point is that they limit you through firewall throughput."
"Its licensing is the most painful."
"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)."
"D-Link Wireless’s stability needs improvement."
"The performance offered by D-Link Wireless can be a bit problematic at times, owing to which it is an area that can be considered for improvement."
"Password restriction: Sometimes we set a password and it uses that password but, after some days/months, the password gets changed and a few laptops still use old the password while a few use the new password. The password restriction option needs to improve."
"The stability could be a bit better."
"The solution's performance could be improved."
"It would definitely help if we had more advanced features for distributing bandwidth."
"The only issue is with the controller visibility of the devices connecting to the network."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We are on a SmartNet contract. All of our Cisco products are licensed under one contract. I do not think there are any additional costs."
"You have to renew your contract every year, or for three or for five years. If you do not pay right away they will suspend your subscription."
"It is super expensive for what you get. You also have to buy a license every year. Otherwise, it stops working."
"The pricing is on the higher side."
"The solution is overpriced and more expensive than Hauwei."
"Cisco Meraki requires either a one year or three year license for a standard enterprise license."
"This solution is slightly more expensive than others, such as Ruckus Wi-Fi."
"The price of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is per unit and it has annual maintenance costs."
"This solution is more affordable than others on the market."
"D-Link Wireless is cheaper than Ruckus or Cisco."
"The product is affordable."
"D-Link pricing is very competitive when you consider other OEMs."
"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."
"There is no licensing fee for the solution."
"The cost can range from $100 to $400."
"D-Link Wireless' price is the same as Aruba's. You need to pay one-time costs for the product."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Construction Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business69
Midsize Enterprise27
Large Enterprise31
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise2
 

Questions from the Community

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 have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...
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 be very reliable and to consistently run very efficiently. Cisco Wireless helpe...
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 a great feature. The dashboard is a simple interface and easy to learn. It feat...
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 be very cost effective. As a wireless solution, it is simple and its user interf...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Wireless?
D-Link Wireless is notably more affordable than Cisco and Juniper. It suits SMB needs without the financial burden of purchasing additional licenses for extended APs.
 

Also Known As

MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN
D-Link WLAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. D-Link Wireless and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
886,077 professionals have used our research since 2012.