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Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs Meraki MS Switches comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 3, 2024

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

Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch E...
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
22nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.5
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Meraki MS Switches
Ranking in Ethernet Switches
10th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
98
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Ethernet Switches category, the mindshare of Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is 1.4%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Meraki MS Switches is 2.5%, down from 3.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Ethernet Switches Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Meraki MS Switches2.5%
Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches1.4%
Other96.1%
Ethernet Switches
 

Featured Reviews

MK
Operational Manager at Astrah Technologies
Has enabled reliable access control with good scalability
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users The most valuable feature for me is the stability of the switches. They do not hang often and are very reliable,…
Thanadesh Namuengrak - PeerSpot reviewer
Lead IT Specialist at a computer software company with 51-200 employees
Cloud-managed switches have improved secure segmentation and simplified automated patching
Meraki MS Switches are easy to manage, but I believe they are more suitable for use on the IT side because Meraki faces the internet, requiring an open connection through the internet for control. It is not the same as Cisco switches, which operate via command line. I normally use command line for configuration, while Meraki utilizes a cloud-based dashboard that necessitates a constant internet connection for configuration. Therefore, I find Meraki MS Switches more suitable for the IT side. The improvement needed for Meraki MS Switches is the ability to connect in the worst case when I encounter internet issues. When I cannot connect to the internet and need to configure or connect directly to Cisco switches or access Meraki for changes, I face difficulties. When Meraki MS Switches can be configured without an internet connection, I think I can use Meraki MS Switches on the OT side. The only improvement I seek is configuration without an internet connection.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"All of the features in these switches are good."
"This is a dependable switch which will help you sleep at night."
"The new web graphical interface is much better than before. We now have easy access to the command lines. They're all functional."
"The product is stable. It does have only one power supply. They don't have a redundant power supply."
"Enables direct access to clusters."
"The solution doesn't have many proprietary protocols like Cisco's. It mainly uses standard protocols like VRRP (similar to Cisco's HSRP), Spanning Tree, and Rapid Spanning Tree, which can sometimes cause integration issues."
"As someone with long-term experience with the product, I can say that you can trust the Alcatel switches."
"The product's initial setup phase is not complex. It is easy to install the tool."
"I like that I can patch and manage them remotely from the user portal."
"The solution has been very stable so far."
"I use it at work and at home and I don't have any issues."
"The most valuable feature is the dashboard because it makes it easy to manage all of the switches. It's easy to turn them up and get it configured."
"The most valuable feature is cloud management."
"This switch is robust; it's never, ever gone down, and it has not been rebooted during the last two years in my environment."
"The performance is pretty good."
"The initial setup is simple."
 

Cons

"The network connection should be improved."
"The solution could be more user friendly and there are issues with technical support where the response time is sometimes very slow."
"I find the CLI hard to use. I wish we could do more in the GUI interface."
"We had stability issues with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches 6250. One issue is with licensing. When migrating from TDM to VoIP/ToIP solutions integrated on the same architecture, Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches don't have the same skill level or follow the same development path as companies like Cisco. They started integrating these solutions later, which is why there's a noticeable difference in advancement."
"Sometimes I feel that the Alcatel switches are not working harmoniously with some of the Cisco switches."
"In future versions, I would like to see improvements in networking speed."
"The product would be better if it were completely compatible with other switching products."
"The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco."
"It could be more advanced and secure. Meraki MS Switches are ideal for a mid-sized enterprise. But you can't work with this appliance if you need more security or want to do complex or advanced things. Technical support could be better."
"If there is a drawback to Meraki, it is the cost, but you also have to evaluate it based upon the other factors that you do get."
"The pain point for our customers is the pricing and it should be reduced to make it more competitive."
"The pricing is high and could be reduced."
"Tracking native ports with IP addresses is not currently possible in Meraki. This is a potential area of improvement."
"The firewall is not very powerful."
"In this solution, you are lacking a feature that Cisco Classic has that allows you to save your configuration with a serial cable."
"There are some limitations in Meraki MS Switches. Other switches have more options, such as the Cisco Catalyst Switch."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It is an expensive solution."
"The licensing for OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches is a one-time purchase with no additional costs."
"The pricing is reasonable compared to Aruba and HPE."
"Pricing is cheap compared to other vendors. When we benchmark the tool against Meraki, Cisco, and others, it is usually more affordable."
"The pricing is high and it is where we get the most pushback from customers."
"The Layer 3 switch is the most expensive switch."
"The price of Meraki MS Switches is high."
"It is very expensive so I want it to be cheaper."
"The solution is a bit on the pricey side."
"It depends on what type of equipment you have and other things. We're about $17,000 a year."
"Its price is definitely competitive."
"We don't use standard licensing. Most of the time, we use the advanced security model. If there is a drawback to Meraki, it is the cost, but you also have to evaluate it based upon the other factors that you do get. Their support is really good; their hardware is really good. The ease of configuration and deployment is really good, but it is more expensive than most."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
10%
Construction Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
15%
Construction Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business5
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise3
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business54
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise22
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
In terms of pricing, Alcatel is cheaper than Cisco, however, MikroTik is the cheapest. I cannot comment on the pricing reasonability as I am a technical person, and decisions are made by those who ...
What needs improvement with Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The commands for the switches could be easier as I find them more complex compared to those of Cisco.
What is your primary use case for Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches?
The primary use case is access control and normal LAN usage, including internet and email. For example, I have deployed the solution in airport scenarios where there are many users.
What needs improvement with Meraki MS Switches?
Meraki MS Switches are easy to manage, but I believe they are more suitable for use on the IT side because Meraki faces the internet, requiring an open connection through the internet for control. ...
What is your primary use case for Meraki MS Switches?
I have experience with Cisco products as I implement a lot of them. For example, I implemented switches and access points when I worked for infrastructure in a motorcycle company, and I implemented...
 

Also Known As

Alcatel-Lucent Ethernet Switches, OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches
MS220, MS320, MS420
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Bayonette, California State University (CSU), Centre Hospitalier Carcassonne, Centro Universitšrio de Brasilia (UniCEUB), China Tianchen Engineering Corporation Co. LTD, Citta Della Speranza, City of Frankfurt, City of Ogden, City of Vila Franca de Xira
Cisco Live Milan, Hyatt
Find out what your peers are saying about Alcatel-Lucent OmniSwitch Ethernet Switches vs. Meraki MS Switches and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,153 professionals have used our research since 2012.