Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Cisco Meraki MR Wireless comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Cisco are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.9, while Cisco is ranked #23 with an average rating of 7.5. Additionally, 96% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 75% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant On Access Points

Read 33 Aruba Instant On Access Points reviews

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1,461 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

Read 5 Cisco Meraki MR Wireless reviews

117 Views
117 Comparison Views

75% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant On Access Points

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Nov 23, 2025

Aruba Instant On Access Points and Cisco Meraki MR Wireless compete in the wireless networking space, with Cisco Meraki MR Wireless holding a slight advantage due to its robust features, despite Aruba's favorable pricing.

Features: Aruba Instant On Access Points are appreciated for their straightforward installation, seamless integration, and high-quality performance at a competitive price. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless offers advanced analytics, comprehensive security features, and superior scalability, making it ideal for environments needing extensive system management and security.

Room for Improvement: Aruba Instant On Access Points could improve by offering more advanced features and expanding their cloud management capabilities. They may also enhance their scalability options for larger networks. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless might benefit from reduced complexity in deployment and pricing structure adjustments to appeal to budget-conscious buyers. Additionally, reducing reliance on Cisco engineers for configuration could enhance its user experience.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Instant On Access Points are known for easy deployment focused on smaller networks. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless provides excellent deployment support with its comprehensive cloud-based management tools, although it may be more suitable for larger and complex setups. Its customer service is highly praised for responsiveness and support depth.

Pricing and ROI: Aruba Instant On Access Points are appealing with their low-cost setup, ideal for buyers looking for solid performance without substantial investment. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless, albeit more expensive, offers a strong ROI due to its extensive feature set and long-term efficiency, catering to buyers prioritizing comprehensive functionality over upfront cost savings.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

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:

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Instant On Access Points

Ranking in Wireless LAN

9th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

Ranking in Wireless LAN

23rd

Average Rating

7.6

Reviews Sentiment

3.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

ANKIT GAJJAR

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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Sanjay Gaiswal

Technical Presales at Vcom Teachnologies

Cloud-based management transforms branch network operations efficiently

The most useful feature of Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is its cloud-based management. Configuring Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is easy because it's a cloud-based solution. Once you connect it, it gets registered on the cloud. You can configure it through there itself, and you don't need to be at the site while configuring. Layer 7 traffic shaping helps with bandwidth management, and now you have the five gigabit port on the AP itself, so the bandwidth increases. No other wireless OEM provides a bandwidth of five gigabits. I have worked with the Network Analytics feature in Cisco Meraki MR Wireless, and it's used on the cloud. The Meraki controller, which is a cloud-based controller, allows us to manage multiple Cisco Meraki MR Wireless APs and monitor their performance, user connectivity, signal, and the AP performance itself. Regarding security features such as Air Marshal and WIPS, the Meraki 1700 series has the WIPS feature. We have used the WIPS feature to prevent rogue APs and to enable the security features in the wireless itself. You don't need to buy any other separate security devices, making it a very effective and useful feature.

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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

"Regarding access points, the customer typically considers low-cost plans, and Ruckus Unleashed Access Points are commonly used. These access points are managed through the Microsoft console and can be accessed either with or without ports. The management is done through a controller. The main benefits customers see include cost-effectiveness, especially for those with budget constraints. Aruba, in particular, provides a good user experience. Some customers might choose Huawei, but enterprise access points are also considered. Additionally, the unified access point capabilities are valuable, allowing management from the same account. However, there is a limitation of twenty-five access points, and if a customer requires more, they need to create another site or account. If the customer exceeds twenty-five access points, they need to generate another site or virtual business to manage additional access points, as the external number is limited to twenty-five."

"The product's initial setup phase is too easy."

"The solution's most valuable features include a simple deployment phase, easy management, and scalability."

"The roaming feature and connectivity during disconnections are valuable."

"Its performance is very good. It suits small and medium sites very well."

"It's a good solution and a good technology."

"Configuring everything in the cloud with Aruba Central and having all the devices be independent of a centralized controller has made it simple to deploy."

"The advantages of Aruba Instant On Access Points include using a mobile application to control various aspects, making it a user-friendly solution for home use."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points pros

"The Meraki controller, which is a cloud-based controller, allows us to manage multiple Cisco Meraki MR Wireless APs and monitor their performance, user connectivity, signal, and the AP performance itself."

"The most useful feature of Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is its cloud-based management."

"As a user of the product, the biggest advantage for me is that it works seamlessly; users can switch between access points, and it works great."

"Cloud management is something I appreciate; it's an easy product to manage in comparison to many others."

"Some of the best features with the wireless solution are that you have a cloud console, so you don't have to create or manage your own instance of a controller."

"We benefit from using Cisco Meraki cloud as it makes manageability easier—two people can manage 200 locations efficiently."

"Some of the best features with the wireless solution are that you have a cloud console, so you don't have to create or manage your own instance of a controller."

More Cisco Meraki MR Wireless pros

Cons

"The solution can be more integrated with other brands."

"The limited functionality of the mobile app restricts its use primarily to small and medium-sized setups, making it less suitable for enterprise-level solutions."

"Improvement as per customer requirements."

"The tool is priced high."

"The Unifi Controller is slower compared to other options like Aruba."

"If there's a way to get a floor map of our office space so we can place the access points on a map to be able to see what's what, where everything is going, where the most traffic is being connected, that would be a nice feature."

"The product's machine or equipment can cater to around 20 connections and cannot go beyond 50 simultaneous connections, because of which I think the tool's scalability is limited."

"When I first deployed the solution, I couldn't use a tagged VLAN for the management. It might already have been fixed in a recent firmware upgrade."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points cons

"My main concern is that Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is overpriced, has limited functionality, and the hardware is not prepared for any further improvements in terms of features."

"To do that effectively, I really need accurate floor plans, which I don't yet have. Without having the full picture, I'm operating somewhat blind and have to be careful."

"Regarding service support, Cisco Meraki does not provide direct support. When raising incidents or support tickets, the support is not always effective."

"To do that effectively, I really need accurate floor plans, which I don't yet have. Without having the full picture, I'm operating somewhat blind and have to be careful."

"The challenge with Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is that for any Meraki device, you require internet connectivity to get it registered on the cloud."

"To do that effectively, I really need accurate floor plans, which I don't yet have. Without having the full picture, I'm operating somewhat blind and have to be careful."

More Cisco Meraki MR Wireless cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"You buy it for $165 an AP, which is what we paid."

"Aruba Instant On Access Points are license-free. It's a very good and cheap solution for wireless networks. It can be compared with solutions from Ubiquiti and TP-Link, but it is in a different class. Aruba Instant On Access Points are cheaper than those from Cisco, Ruckus, and Motorola. It's perhaps the cheapest one. They do not use licenses, so it is a solution from the box. You don't need to pay extra money or deal with hidden payments."

"It is expensive."

"I rate the product's pricing a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."

"I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"It is competitively priced. It was at a price point that made sense for me to put in my home, and that says something. The cost of the solution includes everything we need to manage and upgrade our Wi-Fi network, including the mobile management app. Having the licensing and all the functionality built into the base price of the product is really important for me. There are no extra costs for the security feature or automatic software/firmware updates, which is really important to me."

"The price of Aruba Instant On Access Points is reasonable. They are competitively priced. I've even used it in my home at one time because of the low price."

"Its price is fair. It is not really cheap, and it is also not expensive. It is in the middle."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points pricing and cost advice

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Large Enterprise	9

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Questions from the Community

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.

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What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Access Points?

I believe that software usability could be improved.

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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...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Cisco Meraki MR Wireless?

The cost of Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is high; the price of one AP to the end customer is approximately 50,000 INR.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Cisco Meraki MR Wireless?

I have utilized Meraki's RF Optimization to some extent. To do that effectively, I really need accurate floor plans, which I don't yet have. Without having the full picture, I'm operating somewhat ...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Cisco Meraki MR Wireless?

My use case for Cisco Meraki MR Wireless is in automotive retail. I work with a dealership ownership group that currently operates 95 locations.

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba Instant vs Aruba Instant On Access Points

Compared 16% of the time

Omada Access Points vs Aruba Instant On Access Points

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant On Access Points

Compared 10% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs Aruba Instant On Access Points

Compared 9% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant On Access Points

Compared 8% of the time

More Aruba Instant On Access Points Competitors

No data available

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Access Points

January 2026

Download Aruba Instant On Access Points product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

January 2026

Download Cisco Meraki MR Wireless product report

Overview

Ingredients for success.

Fast 802.11ac Wave 2, secure employee and guest access, easy-to-use web, and mobile app management.

Say yes to secure Wi-Fi access.

Pre-built access control lists (ACLs) and built-in firewall in the access points prevent malicious traffic from entering your network – we call it “hassle-free” security.

Never drop an important call.

With Instant On, voice and video business applications are automatically prioritized, so you stay connected with your peers.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless offers a robust wireless connectivity solution designed for scalability and ease of deployment, making it suitable for modern enterprises seeking reliable network performance.

With its cloud-managed structure, Cisco Meraki MR Wireless provides comprehensive visibility and control over wireless environments, catering to diverse locations and user counts. Its seamless integration simplifies network management, crucial for data-driven decisions in enterprises. The system's configuration and maintenance are streamlined via the intuitive dashboard, ensuring users can optimize performance with minimal effort.

What are the important features of Cisco Meraki MR Wireless?

Cloud Management: Access and control your wireless network from anywhere, providing flexibility and ease of administration.
Seamless Scaling: Effortlessly expand the network as the organization grows without disruption.
Advanced Security: Integrated security features protect against threats and ensure data integrity.
Powerful Analytics: Gain insights into network usage to make informed decisions and optimize performance.

What benefits and ROI should users consider when evaluating Cisco Meraki MR Wireless?

Cost Efficiency: Reduced operational costs due to simplified management and deployment tools.
Time Savings: Quick setup and easy maintenance lead to significant time savings for IT teams.
Improved Performance: Enhanced network reliability and speed increase productivity and satisfaction.
Scalability: Adaptable solution that supports business growth without needing significant manual intervention.

Healthcare facilities, educational institutions, and retail environments favor Cisco Meraki MR Wireless for its robust security and ease of management in environments demanding reliable connectivity. Its ability to handle high-density environments with minimal latency makes it an asset in education. Retail chains utilize comprehensive analytics to optimize in-store experiences and operations.

Cisco

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

December 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless

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