Aruba Instant vs Fortinet FortiWLC comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Fortinet are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.4, while Fortinet is ranked #25. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.0% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Fortinet’s 0.2% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant

Read 51 Aruba Instant reviews

2,729 Views
2,098 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLC

Read 3 Fortinet FortiWLC reviews

369 Views
283 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant

Fortinet FortiWLC

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Fortinet FortiWLC and Aruba Instant compete in the wireless networking solutions category. Aruba Instant is often deemed superior due to its comprehensive feature set and ease of management, while Fortinet FortiWLC is favored for pricing and customer support.

Features: Fortinet FortiWLC provides strong scalability, integrated security features, and flexible growth capacity. Aruba Instant offers centralized platform management, advanced automation, and seamless integration into existing IT infrastructures.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Instant has a streamlined deployment model with substantial automation capabilities, reducing setup time and enhancing operational efficiency. Customer service is praised for its promptness and effectiveness. Fortinet FortiWLC's deployment is straightforward but might require more manual configuration. Its customer service is recognized for immediate issue resolution.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiWLC is known for its competitive pricing and solid ROI, appealing to projects focusing on long-term cost-efficiency. It offers lower upfront costs, making it attractive for cost-sensitive projects. Aruba Instant, while potentially more expensive initially, tends to offer a better ROI through long-term performance and advanced features, suitable for resource-rich projects.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

April 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

Ranking in Wireless LAN

11th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Fortinet FortiWLC

Ranking in Wireless LAN

25th

Average Rating

9.0

Reviews Sentiment

8.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.0%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLC is 0.2%, down from 0.3% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Prashant-Patel

Senior Presales Consultant - Networking Solutions at Mannai

A highly stable and easy-to-deploy solution that is free and provides excellent deployment guides

The setup is very straightforward. There is no complexity at all. It took us 15 minutes. We need IP address details, DNS, a gateway, DHCP servers, and SSIDs. Single access points can act as controller-based, controller-less, and cloud-based solutions. That is the beauty of Aruba. If I have an on-premise solution and want to move to the cloud, I don't need separate hardware. The same hardware can be utilized in the cloud. The deployment guides that we get from Aruba are excellent. We have every piece of detail.

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Md.Mehedi Hassan

Team Lead Manager at Blue Pill Ltd

Offers a seamless and secure WiFi experience with outstanding customer support

FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides. Our customers benefit greatly from the security aspect, especially since they are already using Fortinet for Firewall services. The security features are crucial for their requirements. The stability and ease of use of FortiWLC also add to its effectiveness.

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 most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console."

"If you don't need heavy-duty filtering and things like that, it's a cheap solution. And, you have central management, and it works."

"We like being able to merge Aruba Instant to mobile via Bluetooth. You are also able to perform a lot of functions remotely such as creating an SSID IP."

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward, considering that the tool offers a ZTP feature."

"I would rate the stability a ten out of ten."

"The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs."

"The stability of the solution is very good."

"The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console."

More Aruba Instant pros

"It's easy to set everything up during implementation."

"I rate the overall solution a ten out of ten."

"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLC is the overall high quality."

"FortiWLC is valuable due to its security features and the seamless WiFi experience it provides."

Cons

"The product can be improved by adding a clear interface."

"The only issue we've had is getting equipment supplies. The availability of the APs that I want to use has been an issue. It took almost two months to get them the first time. I've ordered a few more for another client, and they're still on back order. It has been over a month now."

"It is not powerful enough and lacks features recommended for larger dimensions, making it unsuitable for big companies with requirements like 100 access points."

"Embedding a heatmap tool within the product would make it easier to conduct a wireless survey."

"My biggest problem with Aruba Instant was the DHCP implementation. The DHCP server needs to ping an IP address to connect to the internet. In some cases, we don't have a DHCP server in the network, and it was really a problem."

"This solution would be improved if they supplied free software controllers."

"There was only ever one case in which an access point failed, but it was reintegrated. The issue was more of a matter of oversight. One part of the network had covered ten access points."

"The network planner could be improved. You should be able to import a floor plan, and the application should suggest the optimal placement of your devices."

More Aruba Instant cons

"One thing that is lacking is, compared with some other brands, the signal is a bit weaker. Ruckus has much wider signal coverage."

"Fortinet FortiWLC is not simple to configure when compared to other solutions. The design could be better."

"However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."

"For massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I personally would rather pay that little bit more and get what I need because I know what I'm getting, as opposed to going for something cheaper that's not as manageable and doesn't give as much."

"The product has increased its pricing by at least 30 percent."

"Avoid the Central cloud license if you can."

"It's a one time cost, including the upgrades, but you have to pay on a yearly basis if you want support. The price is in the middle in comparison to that of competitors' products."

"I would rate the pricing a five out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"Some aspect of the price of Aruba Instant is very economical because if the customer is requiring more features the customer needs to pay a higher amount."

"There’s no licensing required to use the tool."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"The price of Fortinet FortiWLC is high. The solution will be out of the market for us because the price is too high for the features it provides."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

10%

Non Profit

10%

Real Estate/Law Firm

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

No data available

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Ubiquiti WLAN or Aruba Instant?

We researched Ubiquiti and Aruba when looking for a WLAN solution. Ubiquiti offers good WLAN access both indoors and outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...

See all answers

What do you like most about Aruba Instant?

I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate web...

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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Instant?

In my experience, Aruba Instant's price is reasonable compared to premium products like Ruckus, Cisco, or Juniper. However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher. Overal...

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

I cannot disclose the license price, however, I recommend Fortinet reduce its pricing for massive implementations.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLC?

Until now, I have not observed any issues. However, for massive implementations, Fortinet should consider reducing the price to make it more affordable.

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLC?

We are resellers of FortiWLC, and our customers mainly use it in enterprise settings, particularly for chemical companies.

See all answers

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Compared 10% of the time

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Compared 55% of the time

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Compared 45% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

May 2025

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

April 2025

Download Fortinet FortiWLC product report

Overview

Aruba Instant delivers the only controllerless Wi-Fi solution that is easy to set-up, and loaded with security and smarts needed to accelerate your business without breaking your budget.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Fortinet controllers for infrastructure Wi-Fi manage authentication and encryption of our enterprise-class infrastructure access points. These controllers are powered by Fortinet’s System Director operating system for seamless mobility and high-density environments.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks

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

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

April 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. Fortinet FortiWLC

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