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Aruba Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLM 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 ROI with reduced management needs, improving communication and efficiency, benefiting laptops and devices.
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.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.7
Aruba Access Points support is generally praised for professionalism, though complex issues and HP's ticket system transitions present challenges.
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.
For technical support alone, I would give them a score of nine out of ten.
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.
If we encounter any bugs, they inform us of the recommended configuration and firmware to resolve our problems.
The local support we receive from our distributor is perfect.
Fortinet provides excellent customer support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.4
Aruba Access Points offer scalable network solutions for various company sizes, highly rated for scalability but may need extra resources.
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.
Scalability and expandability are adjusted from day one based on expansion and growth projections.
While scaling up to five hundred users, it may cause some performance issues.
Now, with any simple FortiGate 60F or newer model, you can manage more than 64 access points.
Fortinet's solutions are integrated into many standard frameworks, allowing for good scalability and interaction with other vendors' products.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.1
Aruba Access Points are widely regarded as reliable, with minor issues noted in long-term stability and firmware.
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.
This is a stable solution.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Access Points require improved coverage, security, support, integration, and pricing; users report bugs and inadequate technical support.
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.
Some customers comment that the shape and size of the access point is a little big, especially the one installed in the guest room.
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.
Firmware upgrades and bug improvements need to be tested well.
A mobile application to manage the Wi-Fi or the whole network would be beneficial.
The price is higher than I would like.
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Access Points offer reasonable pricing with potential discounts, though hardware costs and licensing fees can be high.
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.
They are priced at half the rate of Juniper access points for basic models.
When comparing pricing between Aruba Access Points and Forti, I find Aruba to be on the higher side.
While the pricing of Fortinet FortiWLM is a bit high, it remains effective.
Fortinet's pricing is different from Aruba, as Aruba has solutions for small business and enterprise in different categories.
The price is competitive.
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Access Points offer reliability, easy setup, robust features, advanced security, AI optimization, and seamless integration, making them preferred.
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.
Additionally, they do not require any kind of license for implementation.
Price-wise, they are cheaper than Cisco and other options.
The solution is controlled from one device and one GUI for all devices.
It also has integration capabilities with FortiFirewall which is beneficial for customers.
The most useful aspect of Fortinet FortiWLM is that you can manage all the Fortinet products from one portal, from one device.
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Access Points
Ranking in Wireless LAN
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
39
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
29
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Access Points is 2.5%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 1.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Access Points2.5%
Fortinet FortiWLM1.9%
Other95.6%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

PRADIPJOSHI - PeerSpot reviewer
Pricing competitiveness and remote management have enhanced network flexibility
One of the most valued aspects of Aruba access points is their price competitiveness; they are available at half the price of Juniper access points. Additionally, they do not require any kind of license for implementation. Despite this, many customers have their own firewall, and they can control everything from their firewall, ensuring flexibility. Furthermore, the ease of management with Aruba access points enables customers to connect them directly to their network via a PoE switch and manage them remotely from mobile devices.
LuayHlaleh - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Healthcare Company
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 Business19
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise5
 

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?
My only recommendation for Aruba Access Points would be better marketing and better promotion, specifically for this region.
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...
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...
 

Also Known As

No data available
FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiWLM and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.
869,566 professionals have used our research since 2012.