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PeerSpot user
Senior Network Engineer at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Real User
Has good integration with ClearPass and brilliant support
Pros and Cons
  • "The integration with ClearPass is the most valuable feature."
  • "The meshing could use improvement but aside from that nothing else really needs improvement."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case is for basic Wi-Fi and also for the captive portal authentication with 802.1X MAC.

What is most valuable?

The integration with ClearPass is the most valuable feature. 

It also has good onboarding. It's a good product. 

What needs improvement?

The meshing could use improvement but aside from that nothing else really needs improvement. It meshes well but the product's channels need to be understood better. It's not like Cisco. You set up your indoor stuff and there are channels you must exclude from the mesh.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using Aruba for the last five years. 

Buyer's Guide
Aruba Instant
June 2025
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Instant. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability is very good. I'm very impressed with it. I've been working with it for years. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

Because it's Aruba, I can strap onto anything. We can use it anywhere. 

Maybe an outdoor range would be nice. 

How are customer service and support?

Their technical support is brilliant.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is very well situated. 

What other advice do I have?

I would rate it a nine out of ten. 

Since I bought this brought I would like to have Aruba Central for free.

The product technically works fantastic but if I'm going to spend a couple of thousand rands on buying an access point, I'd like to have Aruba Central for free, for the equipment that I've purchased. That would be nice without purchasing the licenses because we've already purchased the hardware.

My advice to someone considering this solution is to put it everywhere and get rid of Cisco.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
reviewer895482 - PeerSpot reviewer
ICT Officer at a non-profit with 5,001-10,000 employees
Real User
Good central management of multiple devices, user-friendly, and good pricing
Pros and Cons
  • "The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect."
  • "There was only ever one case in which an access point failed, but it was reintegrated. The issue was more of a matter of oversight. One part of the network had covered ten access points."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution in the business environment for the office network.

What is most valuable?

The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect.

The solution is very user-friendly.

What needs improvement?

The solution, as it is, is perfect for us right now. There isn't any aspect that needs to be simplified.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for two years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

There was only ever one case in which an access point failed, but it was reintegrated. The issue was more of a matter of oversight. One part of the network had covered ten access points.

In general, it's quite a stable product.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is absolutely scalable.

Currently, we have just under 100 employees, but I can only comment on the number of users at my particular office.

How are customer service and technical support?

We've never been in touch with Aruba technical support. There's never been a need to. The solution works perfectly so far.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We did use a different solution, but it was medium-class and not really comparable to Aruba. It might have been D-Link or something similar.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup, from what I understand, was pretty straightforward.

What about the implementation team?

Our supplier assisted with the implementation.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

The price is fairly reasonable. It may be a bit expensive for some companies, but for us, it's worth every penny.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We were considering Cisco at the time, but Aruba had a better price point. Our supplier actually suggested Aruba as an optimal solution for us.

What other advice do I have?

We work off the latest version of the solution.

I'm just using the system now for the management of devices. I haven't been adding devices recently, but in the last couple of years of using it, I haven't had a single technical problem with the solution.

I'd recommend the solution to mid-level businesses like ours, with up to 100 employees.

We're fully covered. Aruba is not bothering us with additional promotional materials and I don't need anything else. So far, for the level of users we have, I haven't really experimented with the solution or had to reach out to technical support or investigate other aspects of it. It's just perfect for us at this point.  

Comparing it to Cisco, which I also have some experience with, I'd rate it ten out of ten. If I had more knowledge of other solutions and could compare them to Aruba as well I'd rate Aruba lower, depending on the other offerings, but based on my knowledge of the product and my overall experience, it's been great working with Aruba.

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Aruba Instant
June 2025
Learn what your peers think about Aruba Instant. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: June 2025.
857,028 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Marko Pirc - PeerSpot reviewer
IP Network Engineer at a computer software company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Reseller
Top 20
Stable and scalable solution but still has usage kinks
Pros and Cons
  • "In terms of stability, Aruba Instant is the best on the market."
  • "There is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal."

What is most valuable?

I use Aruba Instant because it has firewall and inspection features that are the best for me because my child is using the wireless network and I can just block whichever websites I don't want my child to see. For what I need, the roaming is working okay for small networks.

What needs improvement?

Nothing really to improve. The Instant is simple. But when I'm using the controller, then I'll use the advanced features.

The Instant has a problem with the VPR 3 when I am working with the roaming. The problem is that the keys are incorrect and I must do a disconnect and reconnect, and then it's okay. But I don't know exactly where the problem is because VPR 2 is okay. I would like it if they could fix this. Again, I don't know if it's a problem with them or it's a problem with my device. 

Additionally, storage is difficult for me. Metal storage, swimming pools, and garden storage are difficult for me. Also, the shopping centers where I track people are difficult. But offices are easy, offices are no problem.

Because we are using triangulation, there is a problem because you never know which access points are used and connected and which devices are connected on any access point. If there are a lot of different devices, and maybe old devices are present, there are problems.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using Aruba Instant for about a year and a half.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

In terms of stability, Aruba Instant is the best on the market. 

I am a novice in the Cisco platform and it may be difficult to move to the Aruba platform, but what you can do with Aruba is better than what you can do with Cisco.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

In terms of scalability, it's the best on the market.

How are customer service and technical support?

I have not contacted technical support yet.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was complex. The deployment is not too long. We deployed in two days. And the testing took around one week. Deploying is not a problem. The design area is more complex. Troubleshooting and site survey are more difficult for it to work well.

What about the implementation team?

We implemented on our own with books, websites and brainstorming in the office.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I recommend Aruba Instant because it's cheaper for licensing and it's simple for implementation. It's all in the Instant version.

What other advice do I have?

On a scale of one to ten, I'd give it a seven. I would not give a ten because there is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal. The problem is - which access point is preferred for the virtual controller?

Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

On-premises
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
PeerSpot user
Deputy Manager - Technical Services ICT-ELV at Eurostargroup
Real User
Enables you to handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one
Pros and Cons
  • "You can handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one. You're able to populate all of the information to all of the access points through the virtual controller as well. It transforms everything it a single access point, which simplifies things."
  • "The solution should be able to support more users on the access points."

What is our primary use case?

We primarily use the solution as a base for our site office. 

What is most valuable?

The virtual controller can handle up to 16 access points.

The features you get in the controller are excellent. 

You can handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one. You're able to populate all of the information to all of the access points through the virtual controller as well. It transforms everything it a single access point, which simplifies things.

What needs improvement?

The solution should be able to support more users on the access points.

The solution should allow for more roaming capabilities. If you're roaming from one access point to another, the process should be quicker.

The solution could use auto-channeling so that it could automatically pick up channel overlap.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The solution is stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is good. Right now we are using the solution across five offices with 100 users.

How are customer service and technical support?

The solution's technical support has been good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We've used Huawei, which is also good. We're integrators, so we implement either solution according to the project requirements of our clients. I do find Aruba more stable and easier to use than Huawei, however.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward.

What other advice do I have?

We use the on-premises deployment model.

I'd recommend the solution; I find it more stable than other options.

I'd rate it nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Apple Technician at Solution Centre
Real User
I have been having issues creating a guest portal, using Facebook authentication , it work for a bit and stops
Pros and Cons
  • "The features I have found most valuable is that the solution creates a guest portal for guest networks, and setting up SSID authentication to the regular server."
  • "The captive portal through Facebook doesn't work."

What is our primary use case?

Our primary use case of this solution is to control our networks.

How has it helped my organization?

We've been using Aruba since 2014 from my office but in our country we've now deployed a couple of sites. We're actually now working on a project to deploy one of the biggest hotels in Zimbabwe.

What is most valuable?

The features I have found most valuable is that the solution creates a guest portal for guest networks, and setting up SSID authentication to the regular server. I also like the settings and the roles on the profiles, like where you can block some sites etc.

What needs improvement?

The only issue that I have encountered was the captive portal through Facebook. I found that it wasn't working, so I created a couple of cases through the Aruba portal.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using this solution for five years now.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Aruba Instant is stable and it's easy to manage.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The solution is scalable. I've deployed it in different multiple environments. My office has less than 50 users. I've recently deployed it at a school, which has about 300 users. So we have quite a few sites. We do have plans to increase our usage at our hotel site, where we are working on a mobility master.

How are customer service and technical support?

We do have some challenges here and there, and then we have to seek support from Aruba. They are good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

No, we haven't used a different solution before.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup was straightforward but when I did the authentication, the capture portal wasn't coming up. Deployment took me about a day. I did everything myself, which was an advantage at the office.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

We only pay for the support and the contract licenses from Aruba Instant.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

We did compare it to other solutions because our computers are Ruckus. We have compared Ruckus and Cisco, which became weak. Cisco, from my former research, is good in switching and dropping, but in terms of Wi-Fi, Aruba Instant is the best portal.

What other advice do I have?

Aruba is a great product. I've used it for a couple of years and it's been working well. I haven't used Ruckus but from what I've seen, licenses for Ruckus should be renewed annually. You have to purchase the license to use the product. But with Aruba, you buy the product through the distributor, so it's yours and you don't have to buy any additional licenses. The only licenses that you buy are for AirWave, which is the monitoring software, or ClearPass, which is for guest access or onboarding.

I rate this solution a nine out of ten. I would like to see an improvement with the captive portal connecting to Facebook, but the rest of the program works perfectly well. A guest portal will also be great. Some schools have a system that we're trying to integrate with Aruba, it's called 24online and it is where you create voucher systems.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
Owner at Smart living
Real User
Good roaming features and very good scalability and stability
Pros and Cons
  • "The stability of the solution is very good."
  • "Technical support needs improvement. We use the forum for technical support assistance, but it's not enough. If you're talking with a technician, they're in India. They cannot give you the service that you need. Sometimes have problems with some personal services and technical support is not helpful in this area."

What is most valuable?

The roaming feature is the solution's most valuable aspect.

What needs improvement?

Technical support needs improvement. We use the forum for technical support assistance, but it's not enough. If you're talking with a technician, they're in India. They cannot give you the service that you need. Sometimes have problems with some personal services and technical support is not helpful in this area.

The solution needs to be more compatible with IoT and smart devices.

For how long have I used the solution?

I've been using the solution for five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

The stability of the solution is very good.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

The scalability of the solution is excellent.

How are customer service and technical support?

We aren't satisfied with technical support. If you open a ticket, it's 24 hours at least before they get back to you. If you're in the enterprise-level business you can wait, you can come in next day. However, a small or medium business cannot handle the cost of the delay.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup is straightforward.

What other advice do I have?

We're an Aruba reseller. Our clients are typically small and medium-sized companies.

It's a good product. If you are an enterprise business, you have your own team for every service and you have time to research, but for small companies, support is not good and you don't have the resources of an internal team that could mitigate that. 

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.

Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
PeerSpot user
Zülfikar Erdem - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Support Specialist at Wagner Kablo A.S.
Real User
Top 20
Easy to install, has good performance, and solved our problem of lost data packets
Pros and Cons
  • "The most valuable feature is that it provides a redundant wireless connection for a client."
  • "This solution would be improved if they supplied free software controllers."

What is our primary use case?

We use this solution for our wireless network.

All of our wireless devices are on the Aruba network.

How has it helped my organization?

We are using the Ubiquiti UniFi access points and they were dropping data packets, but using Aruba has solved that problem.

What is most valuable?

The most valuable feature is that it provides a redundant wireless connection for a client.

This solution is easy to install and it has good performance.

What needs improvement?

This solution would be improved if they supplied free software controllers.

For how long have I used the solution?

I have been using this solution for one month.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

This solution is very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

This solution is scalable. You can add devices from the dashboard.

We have an average of two hundred people who use this solution.

How are customer service and technical support?

The technical support for this solution is good.

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

We are using Ubiquity access points and using Aruba has solved the problem of dropping network packets. However, Ubiquity has the advantage of free software controllers.

How was the initial setup?

The initial setup of this solution is very easy.

The deployment took approximately two hours, which includes all of the access points active and on the network.

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

I purchased the hardware and there are no monthly or yearly licenses to buy.

What other advice do I have?

This is a good solution that is easy to install and performs well.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
it_user837531 - PeerSpot reviewer
Works at a tech services company with 1-10 employees
Real User
Provides a built-in firewall, local radius, and application visibility and control
Pros and Cons
  • "Has many advanced features: Built-in firewall, local radius, application visibility and control, not locked into support agreements."
  • "Although built-in troubleshooting tools are available, they are not at all intuitive to use. Aruba Instant lacks decent documentation to use for troubleshooting wireless issues (fortunately there aren’t many)."
  • "The Central cloud management (optional) is far behind the competition in features, ease of use, and dependability. I have tried Aruba Central a few times over the years and, in my option, it is not where it needs to be for serious consideration in production environments."

What is our primary use case?

Primary use is to provide WLAN access for our managed clients networks; from 10-user offices, to wireless networks supporting 500 or more wireless clients with up to 30 wireless APs on a single layer 2 network.

How has it helped my organization?

Wireless access is very reliable; once I install, it is solid and works very well.

What is most valuable?

Very simple setup, easy to use, rock-solid dependability. 

Has many advanced features: 

  • Built-in firewall
  • Local radius
  • Application visibility and control
  • Not locked into support agreements

Several deployment options:

  • Instant
  • Central cloud managed
  • Controller managed.

What needs improvement?

Although built-in troubleshooting tools are available, they are not at all intuitive to use. Aruba Instant lacks decent documentation to use for troubleshooting wireless issues (fortunately there aren’t many).

The Central cloud management (optional) is far behind the competition in features, ease of use, and dependability. I have tried Aruba Central a few times over the years and, in my option, it is not where it needs to be for serious consideration in production environments.

For how long have I used the solution?

More than five years.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

Very stable.

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

No issues. I had 30 WAPs on one layer 2 subnet and it worked flawlessly.

How is customer service and technical support?

Seven out of 10.

How was the initial setup?

Very simple to set up as Aruba Instant. Not so intuitive or stable with Central cloud (should you require this).

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

Avoid the Central cloud license if you can.

Which other solutions did I evaluate?

Meraki.

What other advice do I have?

When adding new IAPs to an existing cluster, make sure they are factory default and the same firmware version as is running on the cluster. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
PeerSpot user
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Aruba Instant Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.
Updated: June 2025
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Buyer's Guide
Download our free Aruba Instant Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions.