Fortinet FortiWLM vs NETGEAR Insight Access Points comparison

Fortinet and Netgear are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Fortinet is ranked #13 with an average rating of 8.9, while Netgear is ranked #21 with an average rating of 8.0. Fortinet holds a 1.9% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Netgear’s 1.3% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 81% of Netgear users who would recommend it.

Fortinet FortiWLM

Read 29 Fortinet FortiWLM reviews

1,907 Views
1,754 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Read 12 NETGEAR Insight Access Points reviews

1,401 Views
1,401 Comparison Views

81% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLM

NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Fortinet FortiWLM and NETGEAR Insight Access Points compete in network management and connectivity. Fortinet leads with advanced features and support, while NETGEAR excels in user-friendly interfaces and affordability.

Features: Fortinet FortiWLM offers comprehensive wireless management, advanced monitoring, and extensive security options, making it ideal for complex environments. NETGEAR Insight Access Points focus on seamless cloud management, easy device integration, and user-friendly interfaces, catering to simpler, more accessible network setups.

Room for Improvement: Fortinet could enhance its ease of use and reduce complexity in deployment processes. The interface, though comprehensive, might benefit from simplification. NETGEAR could expand its advanced feature sets to better accommodate large-scale deployments, improve its monitoring capabilities, and offer more extensive reporting tools.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: NETGEAR Insight Access Points feature straightforward deployment and solid customer support through cloud-based solutions, appealing to smaller setups. Fortinet FortiWLM requires more involved setup but offers comprehensive customer support, beneficial for larger, complex networks.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiWLM involves higher upfront costs, justified by efficient handling of complex networking tasks, offering significant ROI. NETGEAR Insight Access Points are initially more cost-effective, promising excellent ROI for small to medium implementations seeking simplicity and ease of setup.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiWLM vs. NETGEAR Insight Access Points Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM vs. NETGEAR Insight Access Points

September 2025

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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

Fortinet FortiWLM

Ranking in Wireless LAN

13th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Ranking in Wireless LAN

21st

Average Rating

7.8

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 1.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of NETGEAR Insight Access Points is 1.3%, down from 1.5% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiWLM	1.9%
NETGEAR Insight Access Points	1.3%
Other	96.8%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

Offers robust network management with cost considerations for large deployments

Large enterprises typically invest in FortiAnalyzer, though our company and SMB clients don't require this analysis tool. We use Ekahau for floor planning and Wi-Fi coverage analysis rather than Fortinet FortiWLM's built-in features. Ekahau helps us perform site surveys and plan access point placement. Fortinet FortiWLM is a flexible and common solution in Dubai. It's one of the best-selling products, with Etisalat, the largest ISP, installing Fortinet FortiGate for approximately 70-80% of their clients. The solution offers different series to accommodate various needs. The triple radio model costs around $1,000 (3,500 dirham) and supports 40-50 connected devices. The 231F model suits smaller deployments of 20-25 devices. I rate Fortinet FortiWLM a seven out of ten. While it's an excellent solution, Cisco remains the market leader.

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Calvin Ong

Business Manager at KAIRA Technologies pte ltd

Reasonably priced product with a straightforward deployment process

I never thought about what could be made better in the product since my company is a customer-centric organization where we provide Aruba or NETGEAR, depending on the demands and needs of our customers. The product's UI needs to be simplified and made more straightforward. It would be great if it was possible to send notifications regarding some errors related to the product that can be sent from our company to our clients through the organization's post-sales team.

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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 firewall integration is very important for the security of the connection."

"I use Fortinet FortiWLM for wireless communication and the internet."

"If you do have a FortiGate Firewall somewhere in the network, you can connect the wireless controller to that... You get 100 percent visibility from a single point... You can see everything that's connected to the FortiGate, whether it's a switch or a wireless AP or a wireless controller or any other Fortinet product."

"With Fortinet, there is a feature called Network-In-Control. It's the AP controller that decides what the clients are going to connect to... Even though your phone sees, let's say, two APs, since the wireless controller has visibility into and access across all the APs, it knows the best AP for the client to connect to. This way, the controller makes sure that none of the APs is over-crowded, and the spectrum is used properly."

"The most valuable feature is the ability to connect and broadcast to different networks without using a VLAN or a layer two switch, which allows you to easily create guest networks."

"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLM is the single management pane and integrated controller inside the firewall."

"For me, the ease of setup and the rugged nature in harsh environments are most valuable. So, durability and ease of use have been its best features."

"The most valuable features of this solution are its speed, reliability, and integration with the firewall."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pros

"The internet connectivity is good."

"The meshing capabilities are the most valuable feature. When I am going in-between buildings, my phone doesn't have to pick up different WiFi. They are all the same. Even in-between the buildings, I stay connected."

"The initial setup of NETGEAR Insight Access Points was straightforward."

"I now have the ability to remote access my network. That works extremely well. I can access it from any place. I don't need to be physically at the device. This saves me on time and travel."

"The product's deployment is straightforward."

"[Being] able to configure the WiFi devices and to see utilization remotely, or from the cloud."

"The metrics demonstrate that NETGEAR really does a good job of balancing the load between the various access points on the networks and this results in an elimination of downtime."

"I am all about simplicity. With the Insight management solution, I don’t need an additional cloud controller, appliance, network manager, or PC/server to configure and manage my access points. You have to look at cost, and everything has a cost. There is a cost to using Insight. But if the cost is reasonable, I don't want another layer. The ability to deploy a network and then have that software built-in, without having to go to a third-party, is big. Also, the less pieces that I have to call in on, the better. So, when I'm calling NETGEAR, it's not like I'm using some third-party piece of software to manage their product. It doesn't add that layer of complexity, which is key."

More NETGEAR Insight Access Points pros

Cons

"Documentation could be improved."

"The platform's pricing needs improvement."

"I have used Cisco previously and I don't see any specific differences from Fortinet FortiWLM or other vendors."

"The guest management features need to be improved by adding automation."

"Areas for improvement would be the compatibility with Apple products and cross-platform integration."

"Cost is something that could be improved, but you have to pay for what you get."

"There are currently issues with Fortinet's software quality. We have concerns regarding the frequent updates needed because of short software cycles."

"The pricing for the solution is expensive and can be improved."

More Fortinet FortiWLM cons

"There is always room for improvement."

"The product's UI needs to be simplified and made more straightforward."

"While the data throughput does provide us with full insight into data being used, we find that it's not very accurate."

"Ubiquiti is a very good company. NETGEAR should look at that model and expand on its remote capabilities. Ubiquiti seems to have a better product."

"A con is the backend system which is very, very slow."

"I have some frustrations with the ease of use. It tends to be sluggish. The graphical interface is pretty, but not useful. They have this tree that shows connected devices, which makes no sense whatsoever because the labeling field of the tree truncates all the items to the point that it's almost useless. You can't even tell what it is. I would prefer a spreadsheet list of the gear as opposed to a graphical representation."

"The registration is annoying. I have to go back to NETGEAR and log tickets. Access points and router registration are something that they need to address in Insight. They need to fix the bug of getting the devices activated and enrolled in Insight without fighting with them. I have probably done about six of these in the last month. You get to see patterns."

"The pricing and standard connectivity can be further improved."

More NETGEAR Insight Access Points cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"In the last few years, due in part to the impact of COVID on the market, Fortinet has increased its prices by 35 percent."

"Fortinet FortiWLM's pricing is regular and competitive."

"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."

"The solution is expensive. I give the solution a one out of ten for the price."

"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."

"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."

"Fortinet would do something with their pricing model to attract smaller business users and eliminate the mandatory service contracts."

"The price of Fortinet FortiWLM is reasonable compared to the other vendors. We are using a five-year license."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pricing and cost advice

"It wasn't much more than 100 dollars a year. For the devices that we have, the pricing was pretty fair."

"We have some basic models they give without a license."

"Price-wise, it is a little too high, about $20 higher than what it should be, but it's worth it. It's cheaper than Cisco's access point, but the products are not apples to apples."

"It is an expensive solution."

"Their pricing is perfect for smaller businesses who are money and budget conscious. There are a lot of other solutions out there that are two to three times more expensive."

"I can source the stuff pretty quickly wherever I go through the distributor. There is pricing available at NETGEAR if you can spend between $2,000 and $5,000 on a solution. So, there is special pricing that they can help with. The vendor's reps are very responsive. They have a good channel system."

"The pricing seems to be reasonable."

"I think that the price of the product is reasonable."

More NETGEAR Insight Access Points pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

10%

Retailer

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	18
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	6

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	1
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiWLM?

The security is a valuable feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?

Regarding functionality, a lower price for Fortinet FortiWLM would be better, but it's difficult. Regarding the integration with other vendors, we try to buy only products from a single vendor to a...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?

I don't know about potential areas for improvement for Fortinet FortiWLM. Regarding functionality, a lower price for Fortinet FortiWLM would be better, but it's difficult. Regarding the integration...

See all answers

What do you like most about NETGEAR Insight Access Points?

The product's deployment is straightforward.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for NETGEAR Insight Access Points?

We have some basic models they give without a license.

See all answers

What needs improvement with NETGEAR Insight Access Points?

The pricing and standard connectivity can be further improved.

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 25% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 16% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 12% of the time

Cambium Networks Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 11% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 10% of the time

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Ubiquiti WLAN vs NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Compared 19% of the time

Omada Access Points vs NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Compared 19% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Compared 15% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs NETGEAR Insight Access Points

Compared 9% of the time

More NETGEAR Insight Access Points Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM

September 2025

Download Fortinet FortiWLM product report

Buyer's Guide

NETGEAR Insight Access Points

August 2025

Download NETGEAR Insight Access Points product report

Also Known As

FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN

No data available

Overview

Consolidate security and wireless LAN management with our integrated wireless solutions. Single-pane-of-glass management for security and access without the need to add point products simplifies deployment and reduces management complexity. These solutions are highly scalable to support even the largest organizations and distributed enterprises.

Fortinet

At NETGEAR, we turn ideas into innovative networking products that connect people, power businesses, and advance the way we live. Easy to use. Powerful. Smart. And designed just for you.

Netgear

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM vs. NETGEAR Insight Access Points

September 2025

Free Report: Fortinet FortiWLM vs. NETGEAR Insight Access Points

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