Cisco Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series comparison

Cisco and Juniper are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Cisco is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.6, while Juniper is ranked #18 with an average rating of 8.4. Cisco holds a 12.1% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Juniper’s 0.8% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Juniper users who would recommend it.

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Cisco Wireless and Juniper WLC Series compete in the enterprise wireless network management category. Cisco Wireless holds an advantage in features, offering advanced integration and security, whereas Juniper is more cost-effective with easier deployment.

Features: Cisco Wireless includes Cisco CleanAir, advanced security features, and seamless integration with other Cisco products, catering to organizations requiring extensive functionalities. Juniper WLC Series emphasizes ease of deployment and reliable performance, although it provides fewer advanced features than Cisco.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Wireless is often critiqued for its high pricing and complex user interface, with users desiring improved third-party integration and signal coverage. Juniper WLC needs enhancements in traffic monitoring, broader integration support, and overall sophistication while maintaining user-friendliness.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both Cisco Wireless and Juniper WLC Series are commonly deployed on-premises. Cisco benefits from an extensive support network and comprehensive documentation but may face regional support challenges. Juniper’s customer service receives positive feedback for being prompt and straightforward, although it is less extensive compared to Cisco.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Wireless, despite its perceived high cost, offers strong ROI due to its stability and comprehensive features, though its complex licensing model can increase expenses. Juniper WLC Series provides a more budget-friendly option with its pricing seen as reasonable for enterprise solutions, offering satisfactory ROI with a balanced cost-performance ratio.

To learn more, read our detailed Cisco Wireless vs. Juniper WLC Series Report (Updated: December 2024).

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Wireless vs. Juniper WLC Series

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 Wireless is 12.1%, down from 16.2% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper WLC Series is 0.8%, down from 1.1% 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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Michael Lees

Production Director at Whitespider

Affordable, resilient, and performs better than other solutions in the market

Assurance capabilities must be improved. There should be more Assurance features on the Wireless LAN Controller. A lot of it is bundled into the DNA Center. Having a little more Assurance regarding what the RF Spectrum looks like will be good. Juniper Mist has a lot of analytical data on the dashboard. The customers would be compelled to look at DNA Center as a longer-term and more comprehensive solution if Cisco were to give them an insight into some of the Assurance capabilities that might be available in DNA Center. The tool must provide something like RF Neighbor. It must enable organizations to receive signal strength and signal-to-noise ratio and see how clients perform in their wireless network. It must have a cap. If we want additional functionality to see our entire network, that's where DNA Center fits in.

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Matilda Elwell

Technical Team Leader - Network &Security at STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Offers visibility and cost benefits

The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features.

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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 pretty generic and easy to use."

"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."

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

"The simplicity is great."

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

"You can easily monitor, manage, and cover all your IT equipment."

"In terms of reporting, in terms of all the user reports, it's very rich."

"The artificial intelligence feature is very good."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points pros

"I like that Cisco Wireless is easy to implement. If you get stuck with any issues, they have ample documentation on the internet. It's easy to implement, and Cisco documentation is easily accessible."

"The integration with Cisco ISE is good, and together we use them to provide services."

"We were able to utilize the elements of the core and provide a solution to our customers similar to that of Cisco Meraki."

"The product enables mobility and centralized control."

"The ability to make different types of networks, such as land networks, is the most valuable part of the solution."

"All the features of the solution are good. The enterprise environment seamlessly integrates with Cisco Wireless. I have contacted customer service and support about licenses and other technical aspects. I have not faced any issues. The solution is good for our environment."

"The Guest feature is pretty good."

"The solution offers very good application visibility and control integration for other analysis software."

More Cisco Wireless pros

"There weren't any scalability issues, the product did what it had to do."

"It is a very stable solution."

"The Artificial Intelligence on offer is very useful."

"The installation process is very easy."

"Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment."

"The installation process is nice and easy."

"The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features."

"It prevents a large number of unauthorized modifications of access point devices."

More Juniper WLC Series pros

Cons

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

"Enrolling into the tool is a tedious process."

"The solution is expensive."

"There is room for improvement in terms of support and installation."

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

"Improving third-party integration is key for Juniper Mist's next release."

"The price could be better."

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

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points cons

"What my company doesn't like about the product is related to the coverage it provides to access points, an area which is one of the most important ones for us."

"Their software's really clunky."

"It would be better if some utility lets us know the best place to install the system. Every time we install it, we have to change it, and we have to add more access points. This is a problem we have all the time. It would be better if it integrated seamlessly with products from other vendors. It'll also help if they included a device diagnostics feature in the next release."

"The solution doesn't have much coverage area."

"The main disadvantage of Cisco Wireless is its cost - it's expensive. Its interface is not easy. However, I like it since I am an engineer."

"The product could improve the security system's alertness to detect and respond to intrusions more effectively."

"Code stability is something that needs to be improved."

"Its licensing has been very frustrating. There is also the complexity of managing the product. These are probably the two reasons why we're looking at Aruba. The way they license this product is not simple. There are some good features in the latest version, but there are additional license costs as well, which is frustrating for us. It is not really a feature issue for us. It really comes down to cost and licensing. They should make it a bit simpler to manage. We find the overall solution a little bit more complex than we would like to deal with. Its troubleshooting is a bit difficult, and it does require a high skill set. Comparatively, Aruba seems quite simple. One of the benefits of the Aruba product is that it is cloud-managed. We don't have to manage the management platform itself, whereas Cisco is on-premise. Its user interface could also be better."

More Cisco Wireless cons

"The biggest issue was that Juniper stopped developing, so we had to look for another solution."

"We would prefer it if the solution could be less expensive."

"The network coverage of Juniper WLC Series and Cisco is different. We need to add additional access points."

"The solution could offer more integration with other products."

"There could be a high level of security."

"There could be more information from the controller, and it could be easier to work with the controller lights. It's not easy to bring up the upgrades."

"Juniper WLC Series has certain shortcomings in traffic monitoring."

"The solution should create configuration documentation."

More Juniper WLC Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"The pricing is too high."

"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 solution is expensive."

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

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

"The pricing is fair."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points pricing and cost advice

"The price of this solution is a little more than competitors."

"Because the Cisco architecture is quite complex, you may end up having to add more components and licenses. So, the cost could go up."

"The licensing system is very rigid. I work for a school and we are just treated like big companies. At some point, there's a limit to what we can do about that."

"Pricing is a little higher for Cisco Wireless than all other vendors. Cisco should work on improving the pricing because there are some other vendors out there in the market which may have the same features or equivalent features that Cisco has at a lesser price."

"The price of this product is reasonable."

"As far as I know Cisco is very competitive, price-wise. Talk to your third-party vendor. It all depends on the company size - how many employees, how big the building is. If it's wireless, and you have only 50 employees but you're using a large building floor, in that case you need many access points. But if you have 50 employees using two or three rooms, then you probably don't need it and it's going to be high density, so there is a different design. So you need to talk to a subject matter expert. Talk to them and design accordingly."

"It is an expensive product. I would rate the pricing a nine out of ten, with ten being expensive."

"I think it's affordable. Maybe there are little differences, but it's not very expensive. But with all Cisco products, you have to pay more for the power supply. You'll have to pay for the PoE converter."

More Cisco Wireless pricing and cost advice

"The product is relatively affordable for enterprise companies."

"The licensing cost is quite high, but considering it's an enterprise solution, the complexity justifies the price."

"The solution's pricing is reasonable."

"There is a certain amount that needs to be paid towards the licensing charges associated with the product, but though I am not sure, I feel the licenses that we have in our company are for three years."

"Juniper WLC Series is a bit pricey but worth its cost."

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Comparison Review

it_user212721

President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

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…

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

17%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Educational Organization

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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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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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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 frie...

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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 ...

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What do you like most about Juniper WLC Series?

Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment.

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What needs improvement with Juniper WLC Series?

The network coverage of Juniper WLC Series and Cisco is different. We need to add additional access points.

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What is your primary use case for Juniper WLC Series?

Our main uses include corporate connectivity for our 4,500 staff, guest access, Wi-Fi for about 20 public libraries, ...

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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

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 Wireless

Compared 37% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 25% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 7% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 6% of the time

Alcatel-Lucent OmniAccess Stellar vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 1% of the time

More Cisco Wireless Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 29% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 21% of the time

Mist AI and Cloud vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 7% of the time

More Juniper WLC Series 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 Wireless

December 2024

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Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

November 2024

Download Juniper WLC Series product report

Also Known As

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

Cisco WLAN Controller

Juniper WLAN

Learn More

Juniper

Cisco

Juniper

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 Wireless is a comprehensive suite of wireless solutions designed to deliver secure, high-performance connectivity for enterprises of all sizes. Offering a range of access points, controllers, and advanced management tools, Cisco Wireless ensures seamless and reliable network access, enhancing mobility and productivity.

Cisco Wireless solutions provide robust, scalable wireless networks capable of supporting high-density environments and diverse applications. With features such as seamless roaming, advanced security protocols, and detailed analytics, Cisco Wireless addresses the needs of modern businesses. The solutions include the Cisco Catalyst and Aironet series access points, wireless LAN controllers, and the Cisco DNA Center for centralized management and automation.

What are the key features of Cisco Wireless?

High-Density Performance: Optimized for environments with a high number of devices, ensuring reliable connectivity and performance.
Advanced Security: Incorporates robust security measures such as WPA3, Secure Boot, and segmentation to protect data and devices.
Seamless Roaming: Enables uninterrupted connectivity as users move across different areas within the network.
Centralized Management: Cisco DNA Center provides a single pane of glass for managing and automating wireless networks, enhancing operational efficiency.
Flexible Deployment Options: Supports various deployment models, including on-premises, cloud-managed, and hybrid solutions.

What benefits should users look for in reviews when evaluating Cisco Wireless?

Improved Mobility and Productivity: Users often highlight how Cisco Wireless enhances user mobility and productivity through reliable and consistent connectivity.
Scalability: Reviews frequently mention the scalability of Cisco Wireless, making it suitable for growing businesses.
Ease of Management: Many users appreciate the centralized management capabilities, which simplify network administration and troubleshooting.
Enhanced Security: The advanced security features are often noted for providing peace of mind and compliance with industry standards.
User Experience: The overall user experience, including ease of use and seamless integration with other Cisco products, is a common point of praise.

Cisco Wireless solutions are implemented across various industries, including healthcare, education, retail, and manufacturing. In healthcare, they support critical applications like patient monitoring and electronic health records. Educational institutions use Cisco Wireless to provide reliable internet access for students and staff. Retailers benefit from enhanced customer experiences through in-store connectivity, while manufacturers use wireless networks to improve operational efficiency and automation.

Pricing and licensing for Cisco Wireless solutions are typically based on the scale of deployment and specific product selections. Cisco offers various support plans, including 24/7 customer service, technical support, and access to software updates and patches.

In summary, Cisco Wireless provides robust, scalable wireless networking solutions that enhance connectivity, security, and management for diverse enterprise environments.

WLC Series Wireless LAN Controllers deliver and manage wireless local area networks with the highest level of reliability, performance, security, and management in the industry. They integrate secure, wireless LANs with any size wired infrastructures, from small branch offices to the largest enterprise or university campus.

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

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)

Apollo Hotel Papendrecht, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Bajaj Capital, Baloise Insurance, BAS Group, Borealis, Danish Crown, Deloitte Belgium, Jan Yperman Hospital, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, MercaSID, S.A., NHTV Breda University, Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary, San Antonio Community Hospital, Sandia National Laboratories, Springfield Public Schools (SPS), St. Catherine University, TalkTalk, The Education Village, University of Copenhagen, University of the Highlands and Islands, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Valdosta State University, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), zulily

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Wireless vs. Juniper WLC Series

December 2024

Free Report: Cisco Wireless vs. Juniper WLC Series

Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Wireless vs. Juniper WLC Series and other solutions. Updated: December 2024.

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