There are many use cases for Cisco Enterprise Routers. The space it is used in now focuses on IoT for edge computing. The heavyweight Cisco industrial solutions are used for manufacturing, automation, and similar applications. The lightweight solutions are used for retail locations, stores, banks, and other similar locations. For establishments with numerous locations, Merakis are utilized.
Exceptional integration and security drive effective network management
What is our primary use case?
What is most valuable?
All of the features in the Cisco Enterprise Routers are excellent. Having everything on one pane of glass is excellent as users are able to monitor everything, bringing everything closer to the edge. Users are able to get good feedback to people within the organization who might be monitoring everything.
The security functionality of the Cisco Enterprise Routers is excellent. They are top-notch with security features.
What needs improvement?
Support can sometimes be overwhelmed, which is common with many service centers.
For how long have I used the solution?
I still have experience with the Cisco products and recently completed some work with them.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Enterprise Routers
October 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Enterprise Routers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I would recommend using Cisco Enterprise Routers. If you want the top or best solution, then you have to choose Cisco. We work with Junipers and various networking equipment, but nothing comes close to Cisco.
When comparing Juniper and Cisco, there are many components missing in Juniper. It takes more work to set them up. While their security is good, it does not match Cisco's capabilities. They all have their place, but for large companies with numerous locations and strict security measures, Cisco Enterprise Routers are the superior choice.
How was the initial setup?
Merakis are extremely easy to set up, but most companies do not have the IT staff. Even when it comes to phone systems, companies prefer having someone else handle the setup. Our partners set everything in place. Once the licensing is set up, the systems learn from each other and adapt. Users can then see all connections from a single pane of glass and configure as needed.
For industrial routers, some command line control is still necessary, but most operations have moved to a program base.
Cisco Enterprise Routers require more complex setup. Organizations either need certified staff or must bring in external expertise because there are many components involved.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing and licensing of Cisco Enterprise Routers is high, but the quality justifies the cost.
What other advice do I have?
I recommend continuing to move forward with Cisco products as they have no significant flaws. Cisco Enterprise Routers are very sound. On a scale of 1-10, I rate this solution a 10.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Implementer
Last updated: Jul 2, 2025
Flag as inappropriateNetwork Engineer at Equine World
Reliability and performance impress despite minor interface limitations
Pros and Cons
- "The only disadvantage is that the router comes with specific interfaces, typically two or three, and adding another interface requires an additional card, which increases the cost."
What is our primary use case?
The clients are using Cisco Enterprise Routers for normal NATting purposes. The clients usually have it on-premises.
What is most valuable?
The advantage of Cisco Enterprise Routers is that it is very easy to use and has many options available. Users can utilize CME, data capabilities, IPsec, dual NATting, ISP load balancing, and ACLs for user restrictions.
Regarding VPN connectivity in the product, IPsec is available.
The Quality of Service capabilities in Cisco Enterprise Routers are far better than other products, and implementations depend on the customer's scope of work. When comparing with other routers, Cisco Enterprise Routers is the best solution I have experienced, and it performs its functions exceptionally.
What needs improvement?
The only disadvantage is that the router comes with specific interfaces, typically two or three, and adding another interface requires an additional card, which increases the cost. Otherwise, everything functions properly. Cisco Enterprise Routers are significantly better than any other router I have used, and we typically recommend Cisco routers to our clients rather than other options.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been selling Cisco Enterprise Routers for more than eight years.
What was my experience with deployment of the solution?
Cisco Enterprise Routers are very easy to install. When compared with other products, Cisco Enterprise Routers are simple to install and configure.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Regarding stability, Cisco Enterprise Routers are stable and reliable, with no significant glitches in performance.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
In terms of scalability, Cisco Enterprise Routers are easy to scale.
How are customer service and support?
I have never opened a TAC case with Cisco because all documentation can be found easily on Google through the Cisco community. With other products such as FortiGate, I usually open a TAC case whenever I encounter a problem.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Negative
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I am partnered with all the popular vendors, but we mostly prefer Cisco Enterprise Routers because it is a reliable product. Although it is expensive, the reliability and ease of use through CLI configuration make it superior to any other product. This is the primary reason we mostly deal with Cisco.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is not cheap. When we provide quotations to clients, they often comment on the expense. However, we recommend the solution, and after procurement, all clients are satisfied with Cisco Enterprise Routers.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I am comparing Cisco Enterprise Routers to Huawei, Aruba, H3C, and Ruckus.
What other advice do I have?
The failover capability in Cisco Enterprise Routers helps minimize network downtime overall, taking only two to three seconds to switch for ISP failover capability.
The advanced routing features such as BGP are very easy to configure, including OSPF configuration.
In comparison with other vendors such as Aruba and Ruckus, Cisco Enterprise Routers are better due to increased reliability and ease of use, though they remain more expensive. This is the main difference compared to other vendors.
The performance and reliability of Cisco Enterprise Routers merit a rating of 10 out of 10. My overall experience with Cisco Enterprise Routers rates at 10 out of 10.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Reseller
Last updated: Aug 13, 2025
Flag as inappropriateBuyer's Guide
Cisco Enterprise Routers
October 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Enterprise Routers. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: October 2025.
868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Computer Operator at a retailer with 5,001-10,000 employees
A user-friendly tool that offers great stability and look and feel to users
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the product's overall look and feel is good, making it a user-friendly tool."
- "The product's pricing is an area that is too fuzzy to deal with, in my opinion, making it an area where improvements are required."
What is our primary use case?
In my company, the tool is used mostly in our branches.
How has it helped my organization?
The benefit from the use of the product in my company stems from the fact that it is a tool that is considered to be a leader in the market while offering good support and stability, making it an overall good product.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of the solution stems from the fact that the product's overall look and feel is good, making it a user-friendly tool.
What needs improvement?
The product's pricing is an area that is too fuzzy to deal with, in my opinion, making it an area where improvements are required.
The product's deployment phase can be made slightly better and more intuitive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Enterprise Routers for ten to twelve years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a very stable solution. Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Scalability-wise, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Around 110 people, consisting mostly of members of my company's IT team and network administrators, use the solution in my company.
How are customer service and support?
During weekdays or normal days, it is easy to get hold of Cisco's support team, but during holidays or weekends, it becomes challenging and problematic for users to reach the support team. It is important to know that the support offered by Cisco is comparatively better than the support offered by its competitors.
How was the initial setup?
The solution's deployment phase is okay since it is a process that may not seem too easy, but at the same time, one may not experience any hassles.
I rate the product's deployment phase a five out of ten.
The solution is deployed on an on-premises model.
Considering the configuration phase that takes time, the solution can be deployed in a time frame between three to four hours to two or three days.
What was our ROI?
In comparison with other products, I rate the product's ability to provide my company benefits in terms of time and funding at twelve or thirteen, even if the benchmark you provide is ten to the maximum.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I rate the product's price a six or seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is extremely expensive, and ten is very cheap. Apart from the licensing costs attached to the solution, a user has to pay towards the product's RMA and support costs.
What other advice do I have?
My company's support team, consisting of 20 to 25 engineers, deals with the product's upgrades, failover testing, and everything else.
I rate the overall tool an eight out of ten.
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.
Network Engineer at Al-Futtaim Group
Easy to deploy with good virtual routing and good reliability
Pros and Cons
- "It's not complex to deploy."
- "We'd like to see some better UI."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution as a router, for virtual routing connections.
What is most valuable?
We've been satisfied with the capabilities of the product overall.
The virtual routing is very good.
It's not complex to deploy.
The solution is stable and reliable.
It is easily scalable.
What needs improvement?
The main issue is there is a backlog in terms of getting any hardware. You might have to wait between eight months and a year to get what you need.
We'd like to see some better UI. It would make it easier for configuration purposes. A graphical user interface would really help.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with the solution for 12 years now.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've never had issues with stability. Cisco routers are very reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution isn't too scalable. It's not modular. You have to size everything correctly.
A lot of people are using the solution. We use it throughout the city.
The company itself has about 1000 employees. However, we also have a compound that includes villas and apartments. We are delivering various services using Cisco infrastructure.
How are customer service and support?
In terms of the technical support by Cisco, if I'm opening a ticket or something, or even if I'm calling them, if I have Smart Care, I would get the support in the next business day. If I receive something damaged as per the contract between Cisco and me, I can get quick help.
If even I ask for sizing for a big project, Cisco is going to help. They've already helped us with something similar. They are quite helpful in general.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We use many different Cisco devices.
Previously, I used Linksys. However, it was a small household device.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is very easy to set up and implement. It's not an issue at all. As long as you have a design ready to go, everything can happen very fast.
How long it takes to deploy depends on the routing cables that you are going to handle, however, it's not too long. Usually, it's just one day.
We have two admins managing the product. Of course, we're getting help from the ISP for managing some devices.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing depends on what Cisco is offering and what is available. Unfortunately, right now, the availability of devices is low right now. It can make it get more expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are using Cisco now. However, I have heard about Extreme. I'm working to compare Extreme Cloud and Meraki Cloud and want to see what the benefits are.
What other advice do I have?
We're end-users and customers.
I'm the network engineer of Egypt company. I'm responsible for all the infrastructure in the company. I have a lot of Cisco devices. That's what we work with. There are a lot of LAN and WAN and wireless items.
Mostly we use the 800 series routers. However, we also have a few 500 series and a 190.
I'd recommend the solution. However, it depends on the size of the business you will implement within. Cisco Meraki is also good. I would advise that as it is amazing and easy to deploy. It's very scalable.
I would rate this solution eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Sr. Officer Network Managed Service Product Management at PT. Indosat Tbk
Resilient devices with good documentation and helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "The documentation is very good."
- "They are pretty expensive devices."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case depends on the customer's kind of business. From my experience, I'm serving clients with the enterprise internet gateway, BGP router, and internal enterprise campus network for our enterprise networks, et cetera.
What is most valuable?
Cisco is the industry standard. I tend to use it a lot.
The resilience of the devices is very good.
It's good for internet-based networking.
The documentation is very good.
The solution is stable.
It's scalable.
What needs improvement?
For the Enterprise Router, especially for Cisco, we want Cisco to have a less simple product and a more scalable product, so we don't have to choose from so many series. We'd like one device fit for many use cases. The scalability must be simplified.
The lead time is pretty bad. It's worse than other products. We'd like them to speed up their speed of delivery. It can take almost 300 days at this point in order to get the devices.
They are pretty expensive devices.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been dealing with the solution for ten years or so.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The is a very stable product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. I'd rate the product eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale, however, it is complicated. there are so many different series to choose from.
I'd rate the ability to scale nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
Their support is perfect. They are very helpful and responsive.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We deliver many various solutions and many services. We're bundling with our connectivity products, such as routers, switches, wireless, SD-WAN, and Zephyr.
We are exploring Cisco SD-WAN, Viptela, and Meraki, and then we're in the progress of exploring HPE and Aruba.
I'm very familiar with various Cisco solutions.
The main competitor is Huawei, and they have a bit of an advantage as they are less expensive than Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
In terms of the initial setup, Cisco is the leading technology here, so the users are also the biggest in the world. We can easily find any necessary documentation about the configuration, the use cases, and best practices. For me, the setup of Cisco is okay. It depends on our documentation.
I'd rate the ease of setup based on the available documentation eight out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
We are implementors. We can set up the solution for clients.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is more expensive than other options. I'd rate it six out of ten in terms of affordability.
What other advice do I have?
We are a service provider. I implement the solution for clients.
I'd rate the product eight out of ten. The product quality is very good. They are, however, a bit expensive.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer. Partner
IT Manager at Manara University
A valuable product with distinctive features worth exploring
Pros and Cons
- "I am satisfied with the tool overall. Although I haven't used all of its features yet, it's been great for providing internet access to both customers, and employees within the company."
- "Sometimes, I find it hard to learn how some features of the router work. So, these are the issues that may arise when a user might not have knowledge about the product."
What is our primary use case?
I use Cisco routers in my company to provide internet connectivity to all our devices, such as computers and WiFi. Essentially, I use these servers to facilitate internet access for the entire company. HPE is the server we are using in our company.
What is most valuable?
I am satisfied with the tool overall. Although I haven't used all of its features yet, it's been great for providing internet access to both customers, and employees within the company. I'm looking forward to learning more about the other features and using them in the future.
What needs improvement?
I don't think I can improve the tool. For that, I would need to learn all of its features and how to use them. But for now, I am satisfied with the tool because it provides me with what I need. In short, I don't have any idea if I want any improvements in the solution.
Sometimes, I find it hard to learn how some features of the router work. So, these are the issues that may arise when a user might not have knowledge about the product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with HPE servers since 2019, which adds up to about three to four years. As for Cisco, I have been working with them for two years now, and with Cisco routers specifically, for about one year. I am also working with Cisco Enterprise Routers.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I love all Cisco devices since it has a lot of features, including the ones that are essential to me. Stability-wise, I rate this solution a ten out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The router I am using right now is enough for my needs. There are many features that I would like to use, and I am learning about them. The tool is sufficient for me at present.
The router is the main device in my company. So, everyone who wants to access the internet will go through it. However, I am the only one with access to the router and its features. Thus, all other people have to access the internet through the router as a user without access to its features, and they may not even be aware of the process. They only have access to the internet without the knowledge of how it works. Since I am in the IT section, I have access to all the necessary details.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have experience with Cisco UCS C-Series, HPE ProLiant DL, and Linux, specifically Cisco and HPE.
I haven't worked with routers from vendors other than Cisco. Even at home, I have a small Cisco router. Nowadays, some people use TP-Link and D-Link, but I feel that Cisco is the best for me. For small companies or small houses, Cisco routers are very good.
How was the initial setup?
I had someone help me with the setup process, which wasn't a complicated process. Although it may seem complicated the first time you go through it, doing it a second time, you may not feel that it is a complicated process.
It was not just the router but the whole network, which means there were other devices also. So, the deployment process took just one month.
What about the implementation team?
I received help from a consultant.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing of Cisco routers is reasonable at times. But, here in my country, it is expensive because we get the product from outside our country, which involves a lot of processes. But, outside my country also, I don't think it is reasonable. Only owing to the features it provides, it is reasonable.
I don't know the amount paid by the ones who purchased the solution a few years ago, but I know that they bought the license.
What other advice do I have?
My advice for the people who want Cisco routers is that I think they have to learn how to use them because there are a lot of features that they can use in the solution. But if they don't know how to use it, then they shouldn't buy it. They have to learn everything about the router so that they can use the very good features of the router. So, they need to get knowledge about the router and its features. Once you know how to use it, it's satisfying.
To understand the router and its features, I usually rely on Google, Cisco's website, and occasionally other websites. I find the documentation on the Cisco website to be great since they know how to explain the features well since the routers are their products. I rate this solution a ten out of ten, at times a nine out of ten, but not lower than that.
Disclosure: My company does not have a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer.
Senior Technical Consultant at International Turnkey Systems - ITS
Robust and well-made but expensive
Pros and Cons
- "The performance is quite good."
- "They need to improve cost efficiency."
What is our primary use case?
We mainly use the solution for a branch router, and it works very efficiently. We use it for data centers and servers.
What is most valuable?
The after-sales service and support Cisco offers are great. It's a great differentiating feature that sets them apart from the competition.
The features are good. They are robust and well-made, unlike other competitors, like Huawei, where the products are not made of good materials.
The performance is quite good.
It's scalable.
For the most part, it is straightforward to set up.
What needs improvement?
We need more cloud functionality and more intelligent routing features.
They need to improve cost efficiency. It's an expensive product.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable, robust product. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. It is reliable. The performance is excellent.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There are different sizes for the routers. You need to get the right sizing base don your needs.
The solution is scalable. You can have one router per premises and multiple branches and it will work well in an enterprise any size.
They have data sheets online that are easy to access so that you can see the capacity of various routers. You just need to choose the right one for your business.
How are customer service and support?
Support is great. The operator can open a case, and a Cisco support engineer can directly interact with the case to troubleshoot. They have a quick turnaround as well.
Cisco offers quality support. They are excellent.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I'm also familiar with Huawei, and I find them to be not quite as well-made as Cisco. However, they both have similar functionality and serve the same purpose.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. The setup doesn't take a long period of time.
The deployment is very similar to what you would expect from other vendors. You do need to do some architectural design before implementing. You need to have a good understanding of the layout of the network and what you will need.
Cisco does provide training online that is available readily from anywhere. Most people are quite familiar with Cisco, and those who are not can learn a lot online.
How much technical staff you will need will depend on how big of a deployment you are planning. Typically, two to three engineers are sufficient. However, it can vary from project to project.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is a bit expensive. They should consider better pricing.
They have turned to subscription-based licensing. However, it may not be as cost-effective.
Prices vary. There are different license models to choose from.
What other advice do I have?
I use various versions of the solution, from legacy routers to the latest version. It can be deployed on-premises and also has cloud solutions as well.
Cisco is dominating the market in my region.
I'd recommend Cisco Routers to others.
I'd rate the solution seven out of ten based on the cost of the product, which is expensive.
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
Lead Infrastructure Engineer at a educational organization with 1,001-5,000 employees
Reliable and easy to set up with helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "The product can scale."
- "The solution is expensive."
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for connectivity and routing. It offers secure panel access.
How has it helped my organization?
Enterprise routers help us to build a secure panel between our data center going to our other remote sites. It also helps with routing and is the main point of entry for our infrastructure.
What is most valuable?
The routing features are quite useful.
It is a stable solution.
The product can scale.
It's easy to set up.
Technical support ie very helpful.
What needs improvement?
We haven't really had any issues. They have recently upgraded the technology and have recently improved many things. Most of what we needed they recently updated. We aren't missing any features.
The solution is expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is excellent. I would rate it nine out of ten. There are no bugs or glitches. It is reliable. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is good. I would rate it around eight out of ten.
We have ten people who use it directly right now.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been quite good, and we are quite satisfied with the level of support on offer.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Juniper and Extreme routers. Since I am mostly exposed to Cisco products, I do find Juniper routers to be a bit difficult to manage.
How was the initial setup?
The solution offers a pretty simple implementation. For the basic setup, it's really easy. The complexity comes to them when it comes to deploying the routing for the whole solution based on the company's requirements.
It usually requires four people to deploy and maintain the solution. That said, it depends on the data center and the size of the environment.
What was our ROI?
We have witnessed an ROI while using the product.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'd rate the solution two out of ten in terms of affordability. It's an expensive product.
What other advice do I have?
We're using version 15 or thereabouts. We updated it less than a year ago.
Depending on the budget, I'd advise new users to go with Cisco.
I'd rate the solution nine out of ten.
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.

Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Enterprise Routers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Updated: October 2025
Product Categories
RoutersPopular Comparisons
MikroTik Routers and Switches
Huawei Enterprise Routers
MikroTik Cloud Router Switch
Juniper MX Series Routers
HPE Enterprise Routers
OneAccess Enterprise Routers
Buyer's Guide
Download our free Cisco Enterprise Routers Report and get advice and tips from experienced pros
sharing their opinions.
Quick Links
Learn More: Questions:
- How do Cisco Enterprise routers compare with Mikrotik routers and switches?
- When evaluating routers, what aspect do you think is the most important to look for?
- What is the best router on the market?
- Can a router with automatically-created firewall access lists be considered a scrubbing center?
- What is the difference between Huawei AR16x and AR6xx?
- Help me find the best open source router
- Can one use Netgear nighthawk router and modem with Ubiquiti Unifi WAP, POE-enabled switches and home security?
- How has the Facebook outage (October 2021) happened? Could it have been prevented?
- What should I look for in a router?
- Which Huawei device is equivalent to the MikroTik 3011 router?
Very reach knowledge Mohamed, keep it up, please.