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Cisco Wireless vs Ubiquiti WLAN 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
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ranking in Wireless LAN
7th
Average Rating
7.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
44
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 Ubiquiti WLAN is 5.1%, down from 6.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

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.
Gabriele-Pizzigati - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing installations through one interface enhances efficiency but AI features improvement
Ubiquiti Wireless LAN is reliable and offers a good quality product. It provides one interface to manage all installations, allowing me to monitor all customers through the same web interface. The web interface in the controller allows for quick configuration of devices with just one click, which is a significant advantage.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"For me, the most valuable thing about Cisco Wireless is its ease of use and stability."
"I find this solution easy to configure and use."
"Cisco Wireless always has the latest technology that supports WiFi 5 and 6."
"The most valuable features for network security with Cisco Wireless were the policy enforcement capabilities."
"Cisco is one of the leading brands, particularly in the commercial sector. Other brands such as Extreme, cater to different categories at lower levels. Cisco maintains a comprehensive product range across all levels and excels in comparison to other networking sites. They also boast a team of highly qualified professionals, a feature that sets them apart from competitors like Netgear, which lacks such expertise."
"Cisco Wireless improves mobility and flexibility. The only case we are working on is with hospitals, focusing on the mobility of doctors within the hospital. Everywhere, doctors need to be connected to the network, even within the operating theater, patient rooms, and even the basement, like the radiology department. As far as the solution goes, the coverage is usually very comprehensive."
"The technical support from Cisco is good."
"It can provide support for real-time applications, such as VoIP and Video Conferencing over wireless infrastructure."
"The pricing is very competitive and the feature sets are very good. It compares well against more expensive options."
"There was a time when we were using Cisco switches and attempting to integrate Ubiquiti UniFi switches into our network infrastructure. Eventually, after some effort, we managed to understand the process. Initially, it was challenging to configure the unified console to manage virtual networks alongside internal networks effectively. We had to comprehend how both systems would integrate carefully. It became apparent that maximizing the usage of Cisco switches required a thorough understanding of how UniFi operates at the backend."
"The initial setup is easy."
"The ease of use and simplicity of the solution is its most valuable feature. This tool is best suited for small environments."
"It is similar to the switches, where it is one of those things where it just works. They are very reliable."
"The Cloud Key Controller is a valuable feature because it allows me to access the wireless system from the cloud and locally within the same network, enhancing network management."
"The most beneficial thing about Ubiquiti is that it is simple to deploy."
"Ubiquiti WLAN's best feature is the free controller system software."
 

Cons

"The flexibility on the controllers isn't that great."
"There is room for improvement regarding HA issues and Radius integration."
"The pricing could be reduced."
"Cisco is costlier relative to other solutions."
"The pricing of Brazil is very expensive. When you look at other options, they are much cheaper."
"It requires a few tweaks in order to stabilize it. Its portal is complex. Cisco solutions are complex in general."
"The solution's pricing should be improved."
"The bind configuration between a physical port and an IP address is missing."
"The solution should include and expand on a central management system."
"The statistics you can get on it are a bit limited from what I have seen so far."
"Largely we're happy with the product, however, the firmware deployments could maybe be managed a little bit differently."
"The product could be improved with more extensive documentation or resources for network engineers."
"Cloud management is one feature that should be included in the next release. This tool is best suited for small environments, not large and complex ones."
"The room for improvement is in the controller levels."
"When I started to upgrade, the controller for Unbuntu was really struggling to start up, however, that has since been solved."
"The product's area of concern revolves around its lack of support."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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 pricing is reasonable."
"The pricing is a bit high."
"This product's pricing is good. It's not too expensive."
"The cost model is expensive."
"I rate the tool's pricing a nine out of ten."
"The price of Cisco Wireless is expensive and there is an additional cost for support."
"Cisco licensing is usually provided on a yearly basis rather than monthly. You can get a hardware SLA or hardware and software SLA for a period of years. Longer terms influence the level of support that you get when it comes to Cisco SLA."
"Ubiquiti has a good price compared to the other ones."
"Its cost is reasonable."
"The tool's licensing costs are life-time charges."
"The solution is cheap. I rate its pricing as three out of ten."
"Ubiquiti WLAN is cheap. It can work without licensing."
"The tool is affordable."
"There is a license required for this solution."
"I would rate the solution's pricing a nine out of ten. It is high."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
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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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
6%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
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...
Is Ubiquiti Wireless better than Ruckus Wireless WAN?
Ubiquiti Wireless is extremely easy to set up and is an excellent option for small businesses, offering enterprise features for a one-time fee and no ongoing licensing fees. Ubiquiti Wireless is ve...
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 outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...
What do you like most about Ubiquiti WLAN?
Anyone can buy the product off the shelf and configure it.
 

Also Known As

Cisco WLAN Controller
No data available
 

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)
NASCAR Grand-AM, Maritime Parc, Outdoor Music Festival, One Republic Tour, British Armed Forces, Arcadia School District, Bartlett School District, Universidad del Azuay, Estelar Hotels, Intercontinental Bali, Moscow - Enforta, Miami - Sling Broadband, Manhattan - MST, Ecuador - Aire.EC
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Wireless vs. Ubiquiti WLAN and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,040 professionals have used our research since 2012.