AirMagnet Survey PRO vs Cisco Network Assurance Engine [EOL] comparison

NetAlly and Cisco are both solutions in the Network Modeling and Simulation category. Additionally, 86% of NetAlly users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

AirMagnet Survey PRO

Read 39 AirMagnet Survey PRO reviews

3,525 Views
2,397 Comparison Views

86% willing to recommend

Cisco Network Assurance Eng...

Read 4 Cisco Network Assurance Engine [EOL] reviews

100% willing to recommend

AirMagnet Survey PRO

Cisco Network Assurance Eng...

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 7, 2025

AirMagnet Survey PRO and Cisco Network Assurance Engine EOL compete in network analysis. Cisco Network Assurance Engine EOL often has the upper hand due to its comprehensive features and network assurance capabilities.

Features: AirMagnet Survey PRO offers advanced site surveying, Wi-Fi network planning, and precise WLAN design. Cisco Network Assurance Engine EOL provides predictive and analytics capabilities, network assurance, and compliance focus.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: AirMagnet Survey PRO is straightforward to deploy but may struggle with scalability. Cisco Network Assurance Engine EOL has more complex deployment requiring specialized knowledge, with extensive customer support available.

Pricing and ROI: AirMagnet Survey PRO is cost-effective for smaller operations, offering solid ROI. Cisco Network Assurance Engine EOL has higher initial costs but provides substantial long-term savings and reliability, justifying the investment.

To learn more, read our detailed Network Modeling and Simulation Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

February 2026

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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

AirMagnet Survey PRO

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.7

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Network Modeling and Simulation (2nd), Network Troubleshooting (5th)

Cisco Network Assurance Eng...

Average Rating

8.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Mark Witherspoon

Wireless Services Manager at Veritas Managed Solutions

A solution for site verifications and enhanced with adapters that provide more realistic readings, but needs to support Wi-Fi 6E

Ekahau and AirMagnet Survey have their own pros and cons, in my opinion. For example, the APs are not visible in Ekahau but AirMagnet Survey allows us to see what APs and channels are being used in a live view, which Ekahau lacks. In Ekahau, the signal from the AP it's capturing at that time is visible which is a bit of an inconvenience. The predictive planner of AirMagnet's is better. However, Ekahau has advantages over AirMagnet because it groups all the SSIDs into one AP, whereas with AirMagnet, one needs to group them manually. Ekahau also supports Wi-Fi 6E, but its licensing is restrictive and more costly.

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reviewer2352375

Managing Director at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees

Helps to easily detect and resolve issues like security threats, bandwidth usage concerns, and performance bottlenecks

I use Cisco Network Assurance Engine to ensure the security, compliance, and smooth operation of my network infrastructure. With this tool, I can easily detect and resolve issues like security threats, bandwidth usage concerns, and performance bottlenecks across my hundreds of PCs and other ICT…

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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 feature is the predictive survey. The antennas' RF patterns are reflected correctly on the drawing when preparing predictive heat maps."

"Clear and easy to use maps."

"We use the solution for Wi-Fi and networks."

"The heat maps are quite good, and some features are easy to use."

"I would like to rate the product as eight of ten."

"Using the products to ensure the safety of our equipment that we have a lot invested in."

"The benefit is with the ease of use of the software, I am able to show the customer, "Here is what your wireless coverage looks like." It is set up in a fashion that non-technical people can understand it."

"The most valuable features are the survey, spectrum analysis, and reporting."

More AirMagnet Survey PRO pros

"It is scalable from the beginning. It is a product that you can scale upwards whenever you want."

"In a short amount of time, you can see what went wrong on a screen in a report."

"The standout feature of Cisco Network Assurance Engine is its ability to proactively detect and prevent network issues before they occur."

"It is easy to set up."

Cons

"The throughput should be more advanced in the future. They need to add more versions of WiFi than just one."

"It would be nice to have some more training resources for younger techs. We can use them if we need some assistance, but that usually requires one of us who knows what we're doing to calibrate the programs properly."

"AirMagnet Survey doesn't cover certain devices in the system."

"When you conduct an active survey and then want to use it for design work, it's actually not very useful."

"Printouts are JPEG printouts. The AirMagnet software is proprietary. I can't send my customers a file, because it is AirMagnet file, even for building projects. I can only send JPEGs or screenshots of heat maps."

"But it's definitely a more expensive solution than other ones."

"It'd be nice if it was cheaper, however, you get value for your money."

"The surveying features are in need of improvement, along with general usability."

More AirMagnet Survey PRO cons

"At the beginning, the setup was complex."

"To enhance Cisco Network Assurance Engine, simplifying its interface and making it more user-friendly would be beneficial."

"The scalability is one of the biggest failures of the solution."

"It needs authentication beyond just local and LDAP. It should also have TACACS+ and RADIUS."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is an annual cost of the solution. There are some additional charges, such as support and maintenance."

"This product is very expensive."

"The licensing of AirMagnet Survey is different when compared to Ekahu. It is a third of the cost of Ekahau but there are no dedicated laptops to the Sidekick. AirMagnet allows you to license an adapter and share that adapter."

"For technical support, you need an annual license, but it is not worth it."

"The pricing needs improvement."

"The moment we began needing more of the vendor's support, the cost became very high; we switched to another solution."

"The tool's pricing is medium."

Information not available

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

10%

Manufacturing Company

Government

Financial Services Firm

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	14
Large Enterprise	10

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about AirMagnet Survey?

We use the solution for Wi-Fi and networks.

See all answers

What needs improvement with AirMagnet Survey?

AirMagnet Survey needs to support Wi-Fi 6E otherwise they can lose to the competition. They also need to allow better grouping of SSIDs to one AP, removing the need to filter manually. At the momen...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for AirMagnet Survey?

We use AirMagnet Survey, for site verifications after the wireless system has been installed. We conduct pre and post-install surveys with it. We have reduced the use since now our customers requir...

See all answers

What do you like most about Cisco Network Assurance Engine?

The standout feature of Cisco Network Assurance Engine is its ability to proactively detect and prevent network issues before they occur.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Network Assurance Engine?

To enhance Cisco Network Assurance Engine, simplifying its interface and making it more user-friendly would be beneficial. This would enable a wider range of users, including those with basic techn...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco Network Assurance Engine?

See all answers

Comparisons

Ekahau AI Pro vs AirMagnet Survey PRO

Compared 41% of the time

iBwave Unity vs AirMagnet Survey PRO

Compared 7% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs AirMagnet Survey PRO

Compared 7% of the time

AirCheck G3 vs AirMagnet Survey PRO

Compared 6% of the time

Wireshark vs AirMagnet Survey PRO

Compared 6% of the time

More AirMagnet Survey PRO Competitors

No data available

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

AirMagnet Survey PRO

February 2026

Download AirMagnet Survey PRO product report

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

February 2026

Cisco Network Assurance Engine [EOL] report

Download Cisco Network Assurance Engine [EOL] product report

Also Known As

No data available

Cisco NAE, Candid

Overview

AirMagnet Survey PRO provides efficient wireless network surveying and design capabilities, optimizing access point placement with dual passive-active surveys, spectrum integration, and real-time analysis.

AirMagnet Survey PRO offers comprehensive tools for wireless coverage optimization. It facilitates accurate SNR/RSSI data collection and features multi-floor planning with robust reporting capabilities. The software enables efficient spectrum analysis, predictive mapping, and simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz surveys, saving significant time. Users appreciate its intuitive interface, which aids technical assessments and visual displays. However, they suggest improvements in multi-floor integration, file import options, and a more dynamic license system. Enhanced cloud storage support, improved auto-placement features, and better device compatibility are also on the wishlist.

What are the key features of AirMagnet Survey PRO?

Dual Passive-Active Surveys: Streamline access point placement with dual survey types.
Antenna Customization: Tailor antenna parameters for optimal performance.
Predictive Mapping: Visualize potential coverage areas before deployment.
Spectrum Integration: Analyze interference and optimize signal paths.
Simultaneous 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Surveys: Conduct faster, comprehensive surveys across frequency bands.

What benefits should users look for in reviews of AirMagnet Survey PRO?

Accurate Data Collection: Highly precise SNR/RSSI measurements improve network assessments.
Time Efficiency: Reduce survey duration with dual-band simultaneous assessments.
User-Friendly Interface: Simplifies complex tasks with intuitive visual tools.
Comprehensive Reporting: Offers detailed analysis and insights into network performance.
Cost Savings: Efficient planning and troubleshooting lead to reduced deployment costs.

In industries like hospitality, education, and healthcare, AirMagnet Survey PRO is instrumental in wireless network surveying and design. These sectors rely on the software for precise Wi-Fi coverage assessments, spectrum analysis, and real-time signal checks, using heat maps to identify dead zones for pre and post-installation verifications. Some opt for alternatives to support newer technologies like Wi-Fi 6E.

NetAlly

Cisco Network Assurance Engine (NAE) transforms operations in data center networks to a fundamentally more proactive model. Built on Cisco’s patented network verification technology, it is the most comprehensive assurance engine that mathematically verifies the entire network for correctness, giving operators confidence that their network is always operating consistent with intent.

Cisco

Sample Customers

Houston Methodist Hospital, Love's Travel Stops

West Corporation, Axians Nordic, Robert Bosch, DICTU, Tenaris

Buyer's Guide

Network Modeling and Simulation

February 2026

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