Aruba Instant On Access Points vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and SonicWall are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.9, while SonicWall is ranked #25. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 1.9% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to SonicWall’s 0.9% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant On Access Points

Read 33 Aruba Instant On Access Points reviews

1,461 Views
1,461 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Read 4 SonicWall SonicWave Access Points reviews

588 Views
588 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant On Access Points

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

SonicWave Access Points and Aruba Instant On Access Points compete in network solutions. SonicWave offers pricing and support advantages, while Aruba Instant On provides superior functionality and features.

Features: SonicWave Access Points offer robust security measures, consistent performance, and enhanced customer support. Aruba Instant On Access Points provide seamless cloud management integration, enhanced device coverage, and extensive connectivity options, making them ideal for businesses requiring reliable connectivity.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: SonicWave Access Points offer a straightforward deployment process with detailed customer support, aiding ongoing maintenance. Aruba Instant On Access Points have an intuitive deployment model for quick setups and simplified customer service.

Pricing and ROI: SonicWave Access Points offer competitive initial investment and attractive long-term ROI due to stable security features reducing maintenance costs. Aruba Instant On Access Points may have a higher upfront cost but provide substantial savings through scalability and minimized operational disruption.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

December 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 879,672 peers since 2012

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

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Ranking in Wireless LAN

25th

Average Rating

10.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

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 Instant On Access Points is 1.9%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall SonicWave Access Points is 0.9%, up from 0.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Instant On Access Points	1.9%
SonicWall SonicWave Access Points	0.9%
Other	97.2%

Wireless LAN

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.

Read full review

Jasmit Singh Juneja

CEO & Technology Specialist at Karman Infotech Private Limited

Easy-to-deploy platform with prompt technical support services

The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to provide cloud access to configure and manage devices. It integrates with ETP solutions; thus, we don't need to run a firewall. They provide an online wireless line manager application. Its basic access point is Wi-Fi 621, which has 2.5 G connectivity. None of the competitors, including Fortinet, enables this facility on the most basic level.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup is very simple."

"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 most valuable feature of Aruba Instant On Access Points is they are easy to manage."

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

"The most valuable aspect of Unifi switches is the Unifi Controller."

"With a variety of switches in their setup, they find that Aruba's online monitoring tools and configuration options for applications effectively manage most of their requirements, all while keeping the process straightforward and user-friendly."

"When an error or alert happens, I receive it in the application. I do not have to be there to know if something is wrong."

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

More Aruba Instant On Access Points pros

"I rate SonicWall a nine out of ten."

"Unlike the Cisco solution that needs a dedicated wireless controller outside of a firewall, SonicWall has everything in one box. Fortinet is close to it."

"The security features of SonicWall are highly valued."

"A good management tool that can be managed through the cloud or firewall."

"The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to provide cloud access to configure and manage devices."

Cons

"The customer service and support are terrible."

"The pricing could be a little cheaper."

"Software-wise, I would like to have a way of moving APs from site to site and wish there would be a way to add more APs to one site. I know the limit is 25 APs per site and I wish there were more."

"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."

"I believe there's room for improvement in the validation process, especially for customers facing compliance issues when managing access points from the cloud. It would be beneficial if the access points could also be managed from an on-premises controller. Regarding additional features, customers express interest in enhancing the controller, specifically improving the capability to manage a higher number of access points from the same controller. This feature is crucial for better scalability. Another feature that customers would appreciate is the ability to increase the number of access points. However, the current process for obtaining this permission can be time-consuming, and customers would like to see improvements in this regard."

"The setup is not very easy. It requires some experience with Wi-Fi, especially with cloud connection and security."

"It is suitable for smaller organizations, but it may not be the best choice for large enterprises."

"The security aspect needs improvement."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points cons

"The main issue is the management of the access points. They are sometimes difficult to manage from the end-user side because they are not yet familiar with the configuration."

"They are sometimes difficult to manage from the end-user side because they are not yet familiar with the configuration."

"Integrating with the firewall and management console was a little complex."

"The product's pricing is high and could be improved."

"We have a lot of overlapping wireless networks with a lot of cheap equipment that does not run on any rules or regulations. The best way to improve the wireless network, like in SonicWaves, is to defeat these networks by isolating, preventing them, or overcoming their wireless signal. We try to do that, but I live near an airport, and the AirPortRadar glitches my wireless network every nine seconds."

Pricing and Cost Advice

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

"It needs a license."

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

"It's a cost-effective solution."

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

"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."

"The product's price falls on the cheaper end of the spectrum. The price of the product is one of the biggest benefits that it offers."

"It is expensive."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points pricing and cost advice

"The pricing of the SonicWave Access Points solution is different in the US and Brazil. In the US, the solution is priced more competitively than other vendors. In Brazil, the exchange rate is a problem. To address this, SonicWall managers in Brazil are running several sales promotions and improving the price of new units."

"The platform offers yearly licenses."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

879,672 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

Hospitality Company

Performing Arts

Computer Software Company

16%

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Government

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	23
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	9

No data available

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.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Access Points?

I believe that software usability could be improved.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

What do you like most about SonicWall SonicWave Access Points?

The platform's most valuable feature is the ability to provide cloud access to configure and manage devices.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall SonicWave Access Points?

The platform offers yearly licenses. We receive all the support services through our partners. Thus, there are no extra costs involved. However, some partners might charge for deployment services.

See all answers

What needs improvement with SonicWall SonicWave Access Points?

The main issue is the management of the access points. They are sometimes difficult to manage from the end-user side because they are not yet familiar with the configuration.

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

Ruckus Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 23% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 21% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 13% of the time

Alcatel-Lucent OmniAccess Stellar vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 12% of the time

More SonicWall SonicWave Access Points Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Access Points

January 2026

Download Aruba Instant On Access Points product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

December 2025

SonicWall SonicWave Access Points report

Download SonicWall SonicWave Access Points product report

Also Known As

No data available

SonicWave 200 Series, SonicWave 200 Series Access Points, SonicWave 400 Series, SonicWave 400 Series Access Points

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

SonicWall SonicWave series wireless access points (APs) combine high-performance IEEE 802.11ac Wave 2 wireless technology with flexible deployment options. These APs can be managed via the cloud using SonicWall WiFi Cloud Manager (WCM) or through SonicWall's industry-leading next-generation firewalls.

SonicWall

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

St. Dominic's School for Girls

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

December 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

879,672 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points report.

See our list of best Wireless LAN vendors.

We monitor all Wireless LAN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.