Ekahau Site Survey vs iBwave Wi-Fi comparison

Ekahau and iBwave are both solutions in the Network Modeling and Simulation category. Ekahau is ranked #1 with an average rating of 7.9, while iBwave is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5. Ekahau holds a 27.4% mindshare in NM, compared to iBwave’s 10.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Ekahau users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 89% of iBwave users who would recommend it.

Ekahau Site Survey

Read 35 Ekahau Site Survey reviews

4,210 Views
2,257 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

iBwave Wi-Fi

Read 12 iBwave Wi-Fi reviews

1,289 Views
772 Comparison Views

89% willing to recommend

Ekahau Site Survey

iBwave Wi-Fi

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Dec 19, 2024

Ekahau Site Survey and iBwave Wi-Fi are competing products in the wireless network design and analysis category. While Ekahau is favored for its pricing and support, iBwave takes the lead with a broader range of features, making it ideal for users seeking extensive capabilities.

Features: Ekahau Site Survey stands out with its intuitive interface, making it user-friendly and quick to deploy. It allows for effective network planning, providing comprehensive reports. It also features AutoCAD layer import for detailed network diagrams. iBwave Wi-Fi excels with advanced design and simulation capabilities like 3D modeling, which offer detailed network visualizations. The accuracy of its simulations is a significant advantage. It also has impressive heatmap generation capabilities, allowing for precise signal coverage predictions.

Room for Improvement: Ekahau could benefit from enhancing its simulation accuracy to match iBwave and expanding its feature set to include more advanced modeling options. Improving integration with other network analysis tools would also be beneficial. iBwave Wi-Fi, on the other hand, might improve by simplifying its complex deployment process and offering more user-friendly navigation. It could also benefit from better integration with third-party hardware to enhance compatibility.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Ekahau Site Survey offers a straightforward setup process with seamless deployment, backed by readily available support. It focuses on enabling quick implementation with minimal hassle. iBwave Wi-Fi involves a more structured deployment model with comprehensive documentation and tailored service, focusing on in-depth customer engagement and detailed support.

Pricing and ROI: Ekahau Site Survey provides a competitive setup cost, facilitating a quicker ROI due to its accessible price point and immediate results. iBwave Wi-Fi demands a higher initial investment, which is justified by its extensive features and long-term value. Users who require robust, feature-rich solutions may find the trade-off in initial costs worthwhile for the depth and accuracy of iBwave's offerings.

To learn more, read our detailed Ekahau Site Survey vs. iBwave Wi-Fi Report (Updated: March 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Ekahau Site Survey vs. iBwave Wi-Fi

March 2025

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Helped 842,767 peers since 2012

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

Ekahau Site Survey

Ranking in Network Modeling and Simulation

1st

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

iBwave Wi-Fi

Ranking in Network Modeling and Simulation

3rd

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Network Modeling and Simulation category, the mindshare of Ekahau Site Survey is 27.4%, down from 41.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of iBwave Wi-Fi is 10.9%, down from 12.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Network Modeling and Simulation

Featured Reviews

ALEXANDRE VIANNA

CTO at Redeswirelessbrasil

Good optimization capabilities, automatic network planning tool and saves time

Ekahau needs to enhance the view of materials and make some adjustments to the reports. Currently, it's possible to make changes to the Word report using Python, but it could be improved. For example, when I create an AP on a survey report, information like the cable view, distance, and support assessments could be enhanced. Only one comment about Ekahau Optimizer. It needs improvement. I tried to upload site products, and for five products, I needed to involve Ekahau's supply chain. When I try to solve that, it's not possible. For example, I uploaded one product for a large bank, and the optimizer didn't finish. I needed to involve Ekahau support, and they sent me the file two or three days after I opened the case.

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Gopi R S

Senior Radio Frequncy DAS Design Engineer at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees

Enhanced accuracy in design projects with advanced three-dimensional modeling and great support

I am using iBwave Wi-Fi for a project where we are designing on campus. It is used for large venue designs such as a university campus, and my work involves optimizing and validating the designs for accuracy before site surveys Using iBwave Wi-Fi, I am able to provide more accurate results for…

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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 most valuable when it comes to this solution for me is the fact that I don't have to go out and do a site survey. With this solution, I can do it all predictably with the usual 90% accuracy."

"Ekahau lets you create heat maps without doing the initial survey. It makes the task easier."

"I have found the most valuable feature is the RF interference and integration capabilities."

"Ekahau Site Survey is user-friendly."

"The troubleshooting tools are the most valuable feature of the solution."

"The ability to perform dual-band spectrum analysis while conducting the standard WiFi site survey is a tremendous time saver."

"It is a stable solution."

"The most valuable function is the site survey capability."

More Ekahau Site Survey pros

"The 3D Coverage is a good feature that shows the signal propagation in three dimensions."

"I find the high-quality Heatmap generation, multi-floor, and wire mapping features to be most valuable."

"It can speed up design."

"Compared to other tools, iBwave Wi-Fi provides 95% accuracy and generates heatmaps."

"The stability and feature set of the application are top notch and can't be matched."

"iBwave Wi-Fi's tech support is great. They pick up their phones. I have no complaints."

"The most valuable features of iBwave Wi-Fi include the critical three dimensional modeling capabilities, which are necessary for tasks like locating access points, determining their height, and cable routing."

"The solution's 3D imaging is amazing."

Cons

"They should improve the iPad application because it's unstable. Also, Ekahau could be better integrated with other vendors."

"I wish there were a competitor to keep Ekahau Site Survey's pricing in line, but there's none."

"It would be better if it provided clear visibility. It would be better if it accommodated large physical sites like a warehouse with a ceiling height of more than twelve to fifteen feet. In such situations, we were unable to provide better coverage."

"Its migration and visualization features need improvement."

"The cloud takes a lot of time to upload the site survey, and we regularly face issues with syncing to the optimizer."

"Ekahau would benefit by making improvements to lag time."

"The support is an area in need of improvement."

"I wish the solution was better at making different survey modes."

More Ekahau Site Survey cons

"iBwave Wi-Fi could be improved by adding a plot for overall improvement, allowing us to see where we are failing in design parameters, similar to features in Ekahau."

"The cost of the solution could be improved. It's extraordinarily expensive."

"It would be good if we could involve a visual while designing the backhaul."

"Areas of improvement would include more functionality in the Mobile App, expanded reporting features, and some shortcut features."

"iBwave Wi-Fi doesn't have a distributor feed platform."

"I am currently looking for an alternative due to my reluctance with the reliability of this product."

"I would like to be able to see two buildings at the same time so that you can create a campus view."

"It would do iBwave well to become more involved with their clients."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We pay $6,000 yearly for the licensing, but each piece of hardware, the Ekahau Sidekick, is $5,000."

"The pricing is quite expensive. Not all companies can afford it"

"I believe that it is approximately $2,000 per year for us. I know we pay for it on an annual basis."

"This solution is not cheap. If you only need an occasional site survey, you are better off contracting a wireless engineering professional that has one."

"9,000 Euro per year."

"That's a tricky thing. When it started off, we had one three-year license and one one-year license because we have two devices. Now, from my understanding, we can only renew every year or get a one-year license, and that cost varies. Being a government organization, we get a different cost than commercial. We have deployed it on Surface Pro tablets. So, the only other cost would be the hardware cost."

"The solution is priced fairly for the features that you receive."

"We pay a licensing fee."

More Ekahau Site Survey pricing and cost advice

"iBwave Wi-Fi is an expensive solution, but it is worth the cost."

"I advise others to treat the cost as you would any tooling cost and use the monthly option as needed."

"The solution's pricing is cheap."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Educational Organization

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Educational Organization

13%

Construction Company

10%

Computer Software Company

10%

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Ekahau Site Survey?

We reviewed the maps as a team and determined if any changes needed to be made or if we could just replace APs as they are. We got into this by upgrading our access points to Meraki, and we wanted ...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ekahau Site Survey?

The pricing and licensing of Ekahau are costly.

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What needs improvement with Ekahau Site Survey?

Ekahau could be improved by adding three-dimensional modeling, as we currently cannot view APIs in a three-dimensional perspective. They need to include backhaul features and improve the ease of in...

See all answers

What do you like most about iBwave Wi-Fi?

Compared to other tools, iBwave Wi-Fi provides 95% accuracy and generates heatmaps.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for iBwave Wi-Fi?

Both iBwave Wi-Fi and Ekahau are costly tools. They're considered high in cost because the license needs to be renewed yearly.

See all answers

What needs improvement with iBwave Wi-Fi?

iBwave Wi-Fi could be improved by adding a plot for overall improvement, allowing us to see where we are failing in design parameters, similar to features in Ekahau.

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 62% of the time

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Compared 4% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Ekahau Site Survey

Compared 4% of the time

More Ekahau Site Survey Competitors

Forsk Atoll vs iBwave Wi-Fi

Compared 12% of the time

AirMagnet Survey vs iBwave Wi-Fi

Compared 10% of the time

RedSeal vs iBwave Wi-Fi

Compared 9% of the time

More iBwave Wi-Fi Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Ekahau Site Survey

March 2025

Download Ekahau Site Survey product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

March 2025

Download iBwave Wi-Fi product report

Overview

Over 12 years in the making, ESSTM maintains its reputation as the easiest to use, enterprise-grade Wi-Fi design and maintenance tool for Wi-Fi professionals. With crystal clear heat maps and easy-to-use reports, ESS makes it simple to optimize Wi-Fi.

ESS allows you to plan and create Wi-Fi networks according to your performance and capacity requirements—taking into consideration the increasing amount of wireless clients and applications such as VoIP, HD video streaming and web browsing.

Ekahau

iBwave has been the industry standard software for designing indoor wireless network for over 13 years. Used by hundreds of operators, OEMs, enterprises and system integrators around the world. The iBwave Wi-Fi Suite is a powerful Wi-Fi network design solution that gives you a significantly more productive way to design carrier-grade indoor Wi-Fi networks. Consisting of a mobile app, a powerful PC based software and 10GB of cloud connectivity to easily share and synchronize project information.

Key Features include:

Advanced 3D Predictive design
Advanced capacity planning
Calibrated prediction for extremely accurate prediction results
Ability to model incline surfaces
Comprehensive reporting
Cloud connectivity to easily share and access projects anytime
Free read-only project viewer for customers and project partners

iBwave

Sample Customers

Presidio, Planet Earth, Ruckus

ARRIS

Buyer's Guide

Ekahau Site Survey vs. iBwave Wi-Fi

March 2025

Free Report: Ekahau Site Survey vs. iBwave Wi-Fi

Find out what your peers are saying about Ekahau Site Survey vs. iBwave Wi-Fi and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.

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