Aruba Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLM comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Fortinet are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #7 with an average rating of 8.6, while Fortinet is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.7. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.8% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Fortinet’s 2.4% mindshare. Additionally, 94% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 96% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Aruba Access Points

Read 39 Aruba Access Points reviews

1,552 Views
1,552 Comparison Views

94% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLM

Read 29 Fortinet FortiWLM reviews

1,970 Views
1,793 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Aruba Access Points

Fortinet FortiWLM

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Fortinet FortiWLM and Aruba Access Points compete in the network management category, each offering unique features tailored to different user needs. Fortinet appears to have an advantage with its emphasis on security integration and support, while Aruba excels in flexibility and ease of deployment.

Features: Fortinet FortiWLM is noted for its centralized management, integrated security features, and seamless roaming capabilities. It benefits users with Fortinet's Security Fabric, which unifies control over various products. Aruba Access Points offer reliability, easy setup, and high-performance roaming. The virtual controller eliminates additional hardware needs, simplifying management and providing robust connectivity.

Room for Improvement: Fortinet FortiWLM could improve its centralized management and reporting features, requiring fewer external tools like FortiAnalyzer. Enhancing automation in guest management and better service contract policies could boost its appeal to small businesses. Aruba Access Points need improvements in pricing consistency, coverage, and integration, along with support and licensing clarity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiWLM's on-premises solution is highly rated for its responsive technical support, aided by dedicated sales engineers. Aruba provides flexibility with on-premises, hybrid, and cloud deployments, yet receives mixed support reviews due to response and escalation issues. Fortinet's consistent support offers an edge in customer satisfaction, with Aruba's diverse deployment options providing useful flexibility but needing better support services.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiWLM is considered cost-effective, particularly for educational institutions, due to its all-inclusive pricing. However, additional costs may arise in the RMA process. Aruba Access Points balance cost and features well, with their pricing sometimes more attractive than Cisco's, though annual licensing is required. Both provide reasonable ROI, but Fortinet's integration of security and management may offer a more compelling reduction in total cost of ownership.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiWLM Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiWLM

December 2025

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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:

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

1.0

Fortinet FortiWLM offers ROI within 6-12 months, reducing costs and enhancing sales through improved management and security integration.

This is why we do not require technical support, as the solution remains simple without AI implementation.

reviewer1912536

Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

No quotes available

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

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

6.6

Fortinet FortiWLM customer support is generally high-rated, proactive, and effective, though response times and first-level support need improvement.

A company called ACT is very good at support.

Ahmed El Bardissy

Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international

For technical support alone, I would give them a score of nine out of ten.

PRADIPJOSHI

Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees

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.

reviewer1912536

Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

If we encounter any bugs, they inform us of the recommended configuration and firmware to resolve our problems.

Ahmed Auf

Cybersecurity SNB Technical Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

The local support we receive from our distributor is perfect.

Chamara Waidyathilaka

Network Specialist at Metropolitan Communications Pvt Ltd

Fortinet provides excellent customer support.

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

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

6.9

Fortinet FortiWLM offers scalable architecture with strong support, excelling in diverse environments, despite occasional scalability limitations in enterprise settings.

Aruba access points integrate well with existing networks via PoE switches.

PRADIPJOSHI

Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees

Scalability and expandability are adjusted from day one based on expansion and growth projections.

reviewer1912536

Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

While scaling up to five hundred users, it may cause some performance issues.

Ahmed El Bardissy

Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

Now, with any simple FortiGate 60F or newer model, you can manage more than 64 access points.

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

Fortinet's solutions are integrated into many standard frameworks, allowing for good scalability and interaction with other vendors' products.

Ferdi Haider

Product Owner at a financial services firm with 501-1,000 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

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

8.4

Users praise Fortinet FortiWLM for its stability and reliability, citing minor issues and minimal downtime with high satisfaction.

The failure rate is very rare.

reviewer1912536

Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

This is a stable solution.

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

Room For Improvement

Aruba Access Points require better coverage, security, support, pricing, integration, and licensing clarity to enhance competitiveness and user satisfaction.

Fortinet FortiWLM needs improved management, user interface, and integration, with enhancements in reporting, support, and advanced features.

Everyone discusses AI, but for providing wireless access to users, AI only plays its part when analytics are needed.

reviewer1912536

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.

Ahmed El Bardissy

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.

PRADIPJOSHI

Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

Firmware upgrades and bug improvements need to be tested well.

Ahmed Auf

Cybersecurity SNB Technical Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

A mobile application to manage the Wi-Fi or the whole network would be beneficial.

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

The price is higher than I would like.

Mohammad Talha Talkin Alam

Assistant Manager - IT at PDS Limited

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

Setup Cost

Aruba Access Points offer competitive pricing with manageable licensing fees, cheaper than Cisco and Huawei, providing good overall value.

Fortinet FortiWLM is competitively priced, but some find costs high, especially due to mandatory contracts and unbundled pricing.

The pricing is reasonable and lower than competitors.

Ahmed El Bardissy

Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international

They are priced at half the rate of Juniper access points for basic models.

PRADIPJOSHI

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.

Shahnawaz Nusrat

Head Of Technical Operations at ITE

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

While the pricing of Fortinet FortiWLM is a bit high, it remains effective.

Mohammad Talha Talkin Alam

Assistant Manager - IT at PDS Limited

Fortinet's pricing is different from Aruba, as Aruba has solutions for small business and enterprise in different categories.

Chamara Waidyathilaka

Network Specialist at Metropolitan Communications Pvt Ltd

The price is competitive.

Ahmed Auf

Cybersecurity SNB Technical Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

Valuable Features

Aruba Access Points provide cost-effective, secure, scalable connectivity with AI Insights, guest authentication, and seamless third-party integration.

Fortinet FortiWLM offers centralized, scalable management with high security and integration, praised for ease and cost efficiency.

We receive support from Aruba, with assistance from the country manager in providing better quotations and support for projects.

Ahmed El Bardissy

Senior Manager, Hospitality Program at ACT international

Additionally, they do not require any kind of license for implementation.

PRADIPJOSHI

Owner at a transportation company with 11-50 employees

Price-wise, they are cheaper than Cisco and other options.

reviewer1912536

Manager Technical at a tech services company with 11-50 employees

For more quotes and insights, download the Aruba Access Points report

The solution is controlled from one device and one GUI for all devices.

Ahmed Auf

Cybersecurity SNB Technical Manager at a tech services company with 51-200 employees

It also has integration capabilities with FortiFirewall which is beneficial for customers.

Chamara Waidyathilaka

Network Specialist at Metropolitan Communications Pvt Ltd

The most useful aspect of Fortinet FortiWLM is that you can manage all the Fortinet products from one portal, from one device.

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiWLM report

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Access Points

Ranking in Wireless LAN

7th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.0

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Fortinet FortiWLM

Ranking in Wireless LAN

12th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

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 Fortinet FortiWLM is 2.4%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Access Points	2.8%
Fortinet FortiWLM	2.4%
Other	94.8%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

reviewer1912536

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.

Read full review

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

Offers robust network management with cost considerations for large deployments

Large enterprises typically invest in FortiAnalyzer, though our company and SMB clients don't require this analysis tool. We use Ekahau for floor planning and Wi-Fi coverage analysis rather than Fortinet FortiWLM's built-in features. Ekahau helps us perform site surveys and plan access point placement. Fortinet FortiWLM is a flexible and common solution in Dubai. It's one of the best-selling products, with Etisalat, the largest ISP, installing Fortinet FortiGate for approximately 70-80% of their clients. The solution offers different series to accommodate various needs. The triple radio model costs around $1,000 (3,500 dirham) and supports 40-50 connected devices. The 231F model suits smaller deployments of 20-25 devices. I rate Fortinet FortiWLM a seven out of ten. While it's an excellent solution, Cisco remains the market leader.

Read full review

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

Computer Software Company

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	20
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	11

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	5

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.

See all answers

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.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?

Regarding functionality, a lower price for Fortinet FortiWLM would be better, but it's difficult. Regarding the integration with other vendors, we try to buy only products from a single vendor to a...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?

The price could be reduced by 20%. In Dubai, UniFi costs 700 dirham for the UniFi Pro 7th generation. For Fortinet FortiWLM, a similar model would cost around 1,300 dirham. If this price was reduce...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLM?

Our customers' main use cases for Fortinet FortiWLM come from three classes. We have clients that pay attention to the cost, and we have customers that pay attention to security, such as in the DIF...

See all answers

Comparisons

Fortinet FortiAP vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 44% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 10% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 8% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 8% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 7% of the time

More Aruba Access Points Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 19% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 14% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 8% of the time

Cambium Networks Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 6% of the time

More Fortinet FortiWLM Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Access Points

January 2026

Download Aruba Access Points product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM

January 2026

Download Fortinet FortiWLM product report

Also Known As

No data available

FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN

Overview

Aruba Access Points are a preferred choice for enterprises, providing efficient wireless connectivity across corporate settings, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities with both indoor and outdoor deployment options.

Aruba Access Points deliver reliable Wi-Fi and network access tailored for enterprise and guest connectivity, supporting IoT devices in diverse environments such as warehouses and offices. They ensure secure connections with features like VPN management and 802.1x authentication, along with flexibility in deployment. Users can benefit from their robust warranty, ease of use, and seamless integration possibilities. The devices facilitate convenient management through both on-premise and cloud solutions, although there is a need for improved coverage, security, and integration features.

What are the standout features of Aruba Access Points?

Virtual Controller: Manages multiple Access Points without additional hardware.
Client Match: Ensures devices connect to the best access point available.
Seamless Roaming: Provides uninterrupted connectivity without drop-offs.
Integration Capabilities: Allows easy incorporation of enterprise wireless solutions.
Advanced Authentication: Offers 802.1x and secure guest access.

What benefits or ROI can users look for?

High Stability: Consistent performance minimizes downtime.
Simple Configuration: Easy setup saves time and resources.
Network Mobility: Supports movement with uninterrupted access.
Visibility: Provides network insights for better management.
Warranty and Support: Offers robust warranty terms.

In specific industries, Aruba Access Points are implemented to enhance patient record access and guest connectivity in healthcare, support interactive learning environments in education, and streamline operations in warehouses with IoT integration. Their deployment aligns with industry-specific requirements, ensuring reliable connectivity and secure access to critical applications.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Consolidate security and wireless LAN management with our integrated wireless solutions. Single-pane-of-glass management for security and access without the need to add point products simplifies deployment and reduces management complexity. These solutions are highly scalable to support even the largest organizations and distributed enterprises.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiWLM

December 2025

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