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Cisco Wireless vs Huawei Wireless comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jan 12, 2025

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 Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.6
Number of Reviews
151
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Huawei Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
8th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
36
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Cisco Wireless is 11.5%, down from 15.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Wireless is 6.0%, up from 4.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Q&A Highlights

SS
Feb 08, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

GulfrazAhmad - PeerSpot reviewer
Integrates with ISE, and is secure, reliable, and easy to deploy
The main concern is the length and overlapping. We have to put on four to six access points on the same floor, and we face the issue of overlapping areas. If Cisco can extend the range of their indoor APs, we would need to install just one or two access points, and it would eliminate the problem of the overlapping area. They should provide built-in features for safe authentication. Right now, we integrate with ISE and FortiClient for this feature. We first check the NAC, and after the NAC and before the domain, a token password installed on their mobile or a physical token is required to join the network. If Cisco had built-in authentication, we would be able to eliminate one product from our network.
Umer  Farooq - PeerSpot reviewer
Customizable and has many unique features, such as encryption, spatial streams, and smart antennas
The initial setup for Huawei Wireless is easy, so it's a nine out of ten for me. It takes six to eight weeks to deploy the product. Initially, as I'm in pre-sales, I generate RFPs and the response when a customer has issued a published tender. I'll check the requirement, and then I'll map it to the Huawei product. I'll then make the Statement of Compliance (SOC) and select the proper model. Next, I'll send the information and document to Huawei for technical vetting. After technical vetting, I'll request Huawei to share information on costs and other vetted documents I need to complete, and once completed, I'll submit the documents. It'll then take approximately ten to fifteen days. Deploying Huawei Wireless requires teamwork because the deployment process involves different people and teams, such as the project manager, post-deployment, and pre-sales teams, to deploy the product completely.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The solution offers very good stability."
"Cisco Wireless is reliable and stable."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is reliability."
"I've found it to be quite secure."
"The speed and security are most valuable."
"Compared to other solutions, captive guest network is one of the best isolation and tunneling."
"This solution is highly stable. We have only had one issue in seven years."
"Cisco Wireless is easy to use."
"The solution is easy to set up."
"It has all of the features that we need."
"I am impressed with the tool's seamless integration."
"The solution has high performance and we are using Wi-Fi 6 that we have found to be the best coverage."
"The best feature of Huawei Wireless is the quick and fast setup."
"It is a stable solution...It is a scalable solution."
"This solution is very simple and the interface is user-friendly."
"It is based on 802.11ax, which is a new technology. There are several valuable things, such as its speed and mobility. There are options for self-organizing networking so that it can perform operations and maintain itself. Its three interfaces are very good and user friendly."
 

Cons

"Code stability is something that needs to be improved."
"The flexibility on the controllers isn't that great."
"The web interface for Cisco controllers could be better. It could be more user-friendly. Sometimes I have to remember how to access some functionalities or how to enable or execute some functions. If it were more user-friendly it would save time."
"Cisco Wireless needs to improve pricing. I understand that Cisco products are typically more expensive than other vendors. Therefore, I believe that adjusting the pricing could potentially be beneficial. Discounts may be available depending on the customer or type of purchase, which could help offset the higher costs."
"It is not easy to use. It should be made easier to use. They can maybe migrate it to the cloud so that we can manage the WLCs together. I find the licensing part very hard to understand. Cisco is now moving towards smart licensing, so this issue will be addressed soon."
"There's a delay in equipment that comes to Columbia, to our country, and that lasts almost six months."
"The solution could be more stable."
"The coverage provided by the solution is an area of concern in some cases, making it an area where improvements are required."
"The scalability could be better."
"Technical support could be better."
"Support could be a bit faster."
"There was one time I had a problem with their centralized licensing. I called the Indian call center, but the response was not that good. One guy attended this call and he told me, "Definitely, I am forwarding your call to the next level. I'll let you know." After that, it took between 10 to 15 hours before I got a call back. By then, we had already resolved the issue. Therefore, they could improve the local support; there should be at very good Tier 1 and 2 support in India. They should be both proactive and reactive."
"The manageability of radio frequencies to avoid overlapping needs improvement."
"The solution needs to include a captive portal."
"The solution could be easier to use."
"The ongoing support and ongoing follow-up on customers is an area where the solution lacks."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of the solution is fair."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"The product is expensive."
"We have to pay for the hardware and support is extra and we do pay for the support."
"The price of Cisco Wireless is expensive and there is an additional cost for support."
"I rate the tool's pricing a ten out of ten. It is expensive compared to Aruba and Juniper."
"It is an expensive solution."
"Its price is a bit high. It is more expensive than its competitors, but when I look at the return on investment, it is worth it."
"I would rate them something, like, eight to nine, on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
"Its price is reasonable."
"Huawei Wireless is an expensive solution."
"Huawei Wireless is one of the cheapest options in the marketplace."
"Huawei Wireless is a cheaper solution when you compare it to the cost of other similar solutions. It has one of the most competitive prices out there."
"Huawei Wireless is an expensive product. I'm rating it as one out of ten, price-wise."
"It is very cost-effective."
"I pay monthly for the solution."
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Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 24, 2015
Cisco vs. Aruba Wireless Solutions
Cisco or Aruba Networks? If you are considering wireless access solutions, this is a common question that you are probably asking. You probably have sales people knocking at your door. How do you make sense of all the stories that you are presented with. If you have done any research, you are…
 

Answers from the Community

SS
Feb 8, 2021
Feb 8, 2021
All are good selections, and this question is difficult to answer without knowing your throughput requirements, as each vendor has multiple models within there series. Personally I recommend looking at Arista Networks’ cognitive Wifi, where controllers are a thing of the past.
2 out of 7 answers
AT
Feb 17, 2020
Hi, It is all dependent on the size of the controllers in question. Though I would suggest getting a cloud base technology so you are limited by any controller and have much better redundancy. Take a look at Arista Cognitive Wireless
IA
Feb 17, 2020
Hi, Every one of the mentioned solutions is good but you need to check the needs which are security since the firms you are working with need protection and tracking of data. For this reason, I recommend: - if you have FortiGate installed then go for Fortinet Wireless since they can be integrated with the Fortigate without buying a controller and they work perfectly together and you will get the advantage of applying rules to the client himself whether mobile or computer, easily managed & monitored, more visibility over your network and incident notifications. If the above doesn't apply then you can go with the best one that fits your budget and security needs which for me doesn't fall on the mentioned solution but to go with ARUBA Instant Access Wireless Solution and the reasons are as such: - Cisco is too much expensive and you got to pay smart support with some complexity in configuration and you need to buy a controller - Ruckus is good but when you want to have the security you need to buy a controller with licenses and it won't give you the security needed since it is just a wireless solution - Huawei is not a stable company since it had many ups and downs and they can reach with you to have all the solutions nearly free so that you install their brand. Whereas Aruba you don't need a controller in the Instant access points and you will get the minimum security with radius integration and what is important a lifetime warranty on the access points. In addition, if the number of access points increased and you want more detailed management and more advanced configurations, you can buy a controller either on-premises or on-cloud with Aruba. The above information is based on my experience with all the solutions and their POC. If you need any more details and consultancy, kindly feel free to contact me. Regards.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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...
Which is better - Ruckus Wireless or Cisco Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless offers users the benefit of being both easy to set up and get running as well as being very user friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...
How does Cisco Wireless compare with Aruba Wireless?
On the most basic level, Cisco Wireless can offer a rather straightforward initial setup. In the span of about three hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...
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 do you like most about Huawei Wireless?
The reliability has had a positive impact on our operations.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Wireless?
For SMB customers with limited wireless users, Huawei Wireless may not be suitable due to the lack of multiple access points and the need for a centralized SSID. However, for large-capacity custome...
 

Also Known As

Cisco WLAN Controller
Huawei WLAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Aegean Motorway, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Brunel University London, Bucks County Intermediate Unit , Chartwell School, Children's Hospital Colorado, Cisco Live Milan, City of Biel, City of Mississauga, Dundee Precious Metals, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Erickson Living, Goldcorp, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS)
Anhui Agricultural University (AAU), China Everbright Bank
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Wireless vs. Huawei Wireless and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.