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Aruba Instant On Access Points vs ExtremeWireless 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
1.8
Organizations find Aruba Instant On Access Points offer great performance and easy management, justifying costs despite financial evaluation concerns.
Sentiment score
8.5
ExtremeWireless provides scalable, cost-effective solutions with 30% ROI savings, easy deployment, and excellent support for long-term use.
The monitoring access and excellent support provide significant value.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
The best ROI is achieved over a three-year term.
Engineer at NewLogics
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
6.2
Aruba Instant On Access Points have mixed reviews, praised for fast support but criticized for delays and language issues.
Sentiment score
7.2
ExtremeWireless support is helpful but inconsistent, with slow response times and limited availability affecting user satisfaction. Ratings vary.
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
I rate their support as a nine because they are very helpful when we need assistance and they strive to help, even if not the fastest.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
I would rate the customer service as a ten.
Network Engineer at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
The response time and quality could be better, and updates can be troublesome at times.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Aruba Instant On Access Points are scalable for SMBs but limited for enterprises, suitable for smaller, budget-conscious implementations.
Sentiment score
6.7
ExtremeWireless is scalable and adaptable for medium to large enterprises but may face stability issues at higher user thresholds.
ExtremeWireless is suitable for companies with a user base below three hundred.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
The Extreme access points handle high-density connectivity needs very well, managing lots of traffic efficiently.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
The scalability of ExtremeWireless is average.
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
7.9
Aruba Instant On Access Points provide reliable connectivity for up to 25 users, praised for stability and minimal issues.
Sentiment score
7.0
ExtremeWireless is praised for its stability and reliability, though some encounter challenges with firmware updates in high-density environments.
The stability of Aruba Instant On Access Points is generally good.
Senior Network Engineer Specialist at Zenith Comp Co.,Ltd.
They work well without failures.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
I experienced issues during firmware upgrades, as some devices required a physical restart, which affects system stability.
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
The stability of ExtremeWireless is somewhat weaker compared to previous solutions, like Motorola before its acquisition.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Instant On Access Points need better integration, scalability, and user-friendly features to improve usability and customer satisfaction.
ExtremeWireless must enhance affordability, integration, security, support, and performance to improve competitiveness and meet small business needs.
The default configuration can be overridden to enhance performance beyond the default settings.
Senior Network Engineer Specialist at Zenith Comp Co.,Ltd.
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
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
I wish for ExtremeWireless to optimize the roaming capability between access points, especially for IoT devices.
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
Another area that could use enhancement is the clarity and implementation of updates, as they can be troublesome sometimes.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
There is some delay in firmware upgrades for access points.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Instant On Access Points offer affordable, all-inclusive pricing under $200, contrasting with competitors like Cisco with no recurring fees.
ExtremeWireless provides good value with both free and paid options, despite medium-high pricing and substantial hardware costs.
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
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
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
Each customer typically buys around 100 APs, which makes it quite expensive.
Systems Engineer at LinkAxia Networks Sdn Bhd
The pricing is a weak point for Extreme; it is very high.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
From a corporate point of view, stability is more important than pricing.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Instant On Access Points provide easy cloud management, seamless integration, and cost-effective security for small to medium-sized sites.
ExtremeWireless offers cloud management, strong security, seamless integration, and stability, making it ideal for security-focused sectors.
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 virtual controller feature is very beneficial because it removes the need for a physical controller.
Consultant at a tech services company with 1,001-5,000 employees
A single license can be used for on-premises, hybrid, or cloud, allowing for easy transition between solutions without losing investment.
Engineer at NewLogics
One of the most valuable features of ExtremeWireless is its centralized control, which influenced our choice.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
Extreme access points perform very well in high-density environments, and we use them at sites with our customers.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

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
ExtremeWireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
15th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Access Points is 1.9%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of ExtremeWireless is 2.1%, up from 1.7% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Instant On Access Points1.9%
ExtremeWireless2.1%
Other96.0%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

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.
KO
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
We manage complex networks with seamless guest and user access while ensuring device authorization
I use enterprise connections where users need to be authorized against radius servers. This feature is common across various products, including ExtremeWireless. Generally, the network management is valuable to me. However, I am unsure how the security architecture enhances our network protection as we typically use the latest firmware for access points. Nonetheless, we had some troubles with roaming, requiring me to install specific firmware to avoid issues.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
Hospitality Company
7%
Performing Arts
7%
Manufacturing Company
13%
Computer Software Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Government
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business23
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise9
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise8
 

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.
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...
What needs improvement with ExtremeWireless?
There are concerns regarding the stability of ExtremeWireless. It could be an area of improvement, especially when compared to previous solutions such as Motorola before their acquisition. Another ...
What is your primary use case for ExtremeWireless?
We mainly use ExtremeWireless ( /products/extremewireless-reviews ) for the warehouse, specifically for the Zebra handheld devices and printers.
What advice do you have for others considering ExtremeWireless?
Overall, ExtremeWireless has a lot of room for improvement. The main concern is stability. As a user, I focus on supporting the devices and ensuring they meet my client’s needs. While I do not hand...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
St. Xavier High School, Americatel, Diamond Light Source
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. ExtremeWireless and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,889 professionals have used our research since 2012.