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Aruba Access Points vs Aruba Instant On Access Points comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

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

ROI

Sentiment score
6.0
Aruba Access Points offer cost-effective improvements, operational efficiency, and user preference, with reduced management needs and favorable total ownership costs.
Sentiment score
1.8
Organizations find Aruba Instant On Access Points offer great performance and easy management, justifying costs despite financial evaluation concerns.
This is why we do not require technical support, as the solution remains simple without AI implementation.
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Aruba Access Points' support is generally efficient and responsive, though complex issue handling can be inconsistent across regions.
Sentiment score
6.2
Aruba Instant On Access Points have mixed reviews, praised for fast support but criticized for delays and language issues.
For technical support alone, I would give them a score of nine out of ten.
Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees
Aruba's country manager is very responsive and supportive.
Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international
Because we work with different HP products, such as servers, storage, and high-end switches, technical assistance is only needed when there are issues on the compute side.
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The technical support from Aruba is rated seven due to limitations, such as support issues when the controller is on the VM side.
Senior Network Engineer Specialist at Zenith Comp Co.,Ltd.
There are still issues with the language barrier and the overall quality of support.
Consultant at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Aruba Access Points are praised for their robust scalability, flexible deployments, and efficient handling of increasing demands.
Sentiment score
7.6
Aruba Instant On Access Points are scalable for SMBs but limited for enterprises, suitable for smaller, budget-conscious implementations.
Aruba access points integrate well with existing networks via PoE switches.
Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees
Scalability and expandability are adjusted from day one based on expansion and growth projections.
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
While scaling up to five hundred users, it may cause some performance issues.
Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Aruba Access Points are highly valued for stability, rated 7-10, with minor issues after prolonged use.
Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba Instant On Access Points provide reliable connectivity for up to 25 users, praised for stability and minimal issues.
The failure rate is very rare.
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
The stability of Aruba Instant On Access Points is generally good.
Senior Network Engineer Specialist at Zenith Comp Co.,Ltd.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Access Points require better coverage, security, support, pricing, integration, and licensing clarity to enhance competitiveness and user satisfaction.
Aruba Instant On Access Points need better integration, scalability, and user-friendly features to improve usability and customer satisfaction.
Everyone discusses AI, but for providing wireless access to users, AI only plays its part when analytics are needed.
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Some customers comment that the shape and size of the access point is a little big, especially the one installed in the guest room.
Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international
I would like Aruba to provide integration capabilities for Microsoft Entra ID, Azure Directory, or other identity verification engines like Okta, Google Identity, or Ping Identity.
Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees
The default configuration can be overridden to enhance performance beyond the default settings.
Senior Network Engineer Specialist at Zenith Comp Co.,Ltd.
There is not enough focus on security across networking vendors, and they often add features without testing them thoroughly.
Consultant at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
In future updates, more AI for intelligence and the option for a separate network could be beneficial.
Systems and support engineer at Lan to Wan
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Access Points offer competitive pricing with manageable licensing fees, cheaper than Cisco and Huawei, providing good overall value.
Aruba Instant On Access Points offer affordable, all-inclusive pricing under $200, contrasting with competitors like Cisco with no recurring fees.
The pricing is reasonable and lower than competitors.
Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international
They are priced at half the rate of Juniper access points for basic models.
Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees
When comparing pricing between Aruba Access Points and Forti, I find Aruba to be on the higher side.
Head Of Technical Operations at ITE
The pricing of Aruba Instant On Access Points is competitive compared to Cisco, and they are actually cheaper.
Consultant at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
When comparing pricing with Cisco, Aruba Instant On Access Points are competitively priced, making them affordable solutions for SMBs, rather than being higher priced.
IT Project Manager at CPS TECHNOLOGIES
Aruba Instant On Access Points work without a list price, suggesting that they are open source and no additional licensing costs are incurred.
Systems and support engineer at Lan to Wan
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Access Points provide cost-effective, secure, scalable connectivity with AI Insights, guest authentication, and seamless third-party integration.
Aruba Instant On Access Points provide easy cloud management, seamless integration, and cost-effective security for small to medium-sized sites.
Aruba Access Points provide further coverage, more coverage, with better throughput and signal strength.
Head Of Technical Operations at ITE
It is very reliable, and the cost of the hardware is not much compared to Cisco and other products.
Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international
Feature-wise, they are technically strong, but the main point is the price point, which is very important for proposing, developing, and establishing a solution.
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We have implemented approximately 300 plus devices on one premise without receiving any complaints about malfunctioning or functionality errors; it runs smoothly.
IT Project Manager at CPS TECHNOLOGIES
Customers choose Aruba because it is more stable, has superior radio management, and offers features like mesh and a stateful firewall.
Senior Network Engineer Specialist at Zenith Comp Co.,Ltd.
The product is incredibly stable and meets our needs excellently.
Systems and support engineer at Lan to Wan
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Access Points
Ranking in Wireless LAN
7th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
39
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Aruba Instant On Access Points
Ranking in Wireless LAN
9th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Access Points is 2.8%, up from 0.8% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Aruba Instant On Access Points is 1.9%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Access Points2.8%
Aruba Instant On Access Points1.9%
Other95.3%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer1912536 - PeerSpot reviewer
Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Positive features shine with room for growth in advanced analytics adoption
Aruba Access Points are technologically advanced. Price-wise, they are cheaper than Cisco and other options. Our market is very price-conscious, so we normally work with Aruba in general. Feature-wise, they are technically strong, but the main point is the price point, which is very important for proposing, developing, and establishing a solution. Regarding scalability, users can implement many types of access points and increase their quantity. When using the controller-based solution, scalability is readily available. The main advantage is the flexibility of usage and comfortability. Users can build networks on Aruba Access Points, and the price is very comparable with other products. The feature set is good enough. Aruba Wi-Fi 6 is available in the market, but it is not generally required because it is costlier than traditional Wi-Fi 4 and 5.
ANKIT GAJJAR - PeerSpot reviewer
IT Project Manager at CPS TECHNOLOGIES
Have faced challenges with visibility and support while exploring more accessible alternatives
I have been working with Aruba Instant On Access Points for the last five years, implementing the HP Enterprise series grade Wi-Fi in the Surat Diamond Bourse. HP Aruba is easily available in the India market, so sometimes customers are preferring the HP Aruba Central solution. When we talk about Cisco WireWorks, my thoughts about Advanced Threat Detection indicate that Cisco needs to improve the visibility of its products in the India market, as there is very much less visibility right now. I would rate the stability of Aruba Instant On Access Points as the best one. Overall, I rate Aruba Instant On Access Points eight out of ten, as Aruba is a most versatile solution. I can definitely recommend Aruba Instant On Access Points to others.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
Hospitality Company
7%
Performing Arts
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise9
Large Enterprise11
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise9
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Access Points?
After we installed the Aruba switches, the work became faster because the network speed improved.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Access Points?
When comparing pricing between Aruba Access Points and Forti, I find Aruba to be on the higher side.
What needs improvement with Aruba Access Points?
AI is a buzzword here without substance. In a practical sense, nobody is working with AI or willing to work with AI features. Everyone discusses AI, but for providing wireless access to users, AI o...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant On Access Points?
When comparing pricing with Cisco, Aruba Instant On Access Points are competitively priced, making them affordable solutions for SMBs, rather than being higher priced.
What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Access Points?
I believe that software usability could be improved.
What is your primary use case for Aruba Instant On Access Points?
My clients mostly request Aruba Instant On Access Points for use cases involving IoT utilization, bandwidth utilization, and user interference monitoring. All products are monitored from HP Aruba C...
 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Access Points vs. Aruba Instant On Access Points and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,853 professionals have used our research since 2012.