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Aruba Instant vs Ruckus Wireless 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Instant
Ranking in Wireless LAN
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
51
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ruckus Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.0%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ruckus Wireless is 14.1%, up from 13.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

Alessandro Salvadori - PeerSpot reviewer
Comes at a good price and has a good cloud console
We usually sell Aruba Instant where there is no need for more than four or five switches. It is generally recommended for very small companies where we don't need more than three or four switches We are using it only for very small companies. We have had a reduction in time, but it is not that…
Xander Janse Van Rensburg - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and high-performance wireless networking with exceptional stability, scalability, and robust feature set
One of the most valuable features I appreciate is auto channelization, facilitated by a proprietary product called ChannelFly. This feature enables APs in a specific zone to automatically adjust their channels, optimizing performance. Additionally, Ruckus Wireless stands out for its ability to reuse certain beams, resulting in smaller data spots. In my experience with various products, Ruckus Wireless consistently delivers unparalleled throughput, coverage, and reliability in wireless networking across different environments. As a noteworthy point, the newly launched WiFi 7 standard is measured against Ruckus's WiFi 7 AP, establishing it as the global benchmark. When it comes to WiFi, Ruckus sets the standard, outperforming competitors with its superior performance and capabilities.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The deployment guides that we get from Aruba are excellent."
"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward, considering that the tool offers a ZTP feature."
"The solution is stable, and we are satisfied."
"The cost is low, and there is controller-less architecture."
"The products offer a lot of flexibility. Almost everything can be configured. It works very well for providing remote services."
"I like the Instant On switches and the AP22"
"I've worked with other products, but I prefer Aruba because of its cost and simplicity."
"The installation is very simple. We've limited the security feature, which I found valuable, and that allows two separate networks, one for the company and one for a guest network. During installation, it is very easy at that point to divide it."
"The solution is used for public Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi solution provides internet connectivity in the public platform."
"The most valuable feature is the signature feature from Ruckus; the feature is called the BeamFlex. BeamFlex adaptive antenna technology takes a more adaptable approach allowing the access point to continually sense and optimize for its environment. The signals can be sent in a particular predetermined direction as desired. The technology allows for electrically manipulated antenna properties creating optimal antenna patterns for each device with which they communicated: the signal is focused, where the user is positioning."
"It can work with high-density traffic, and its management system is also good."
"It has one of the smoothest operations."
"Comprehensive availability and performance of monitoring and reporting for WISP network monitor."
"The solution manages and updates itself."
"Unproblematic"
"At times of heavy network congestion, we can restrict the bandwidth available to clients either by SSID or at the client level, which helps cut down on our bandwidth costs."
 

Cons

"I think they're missing roadmaps to the partners and the customers. They're releasing the products, but there are no quick updates to the partners and the customers."
"They could provide a centralized system to manage switches incorporated into multiple branches."
"They could offer a new model for access points that are outdoors."
"The product's high cost is an area where improvements are required."
"Aruba Instant does not currently offer a multi-gig switch or product, making it an area that requires improvement. Aruba Instant's competitors have multi-gig switches or products."
"An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud."
"I believe there's room for improvement in monitoring, especially when troubleshooting issues. Currently, there's limited intelligence around monitoring. It needs to improve stability and scalability."
"Aruba Instant should not have a limit on users for future releases."
"In my company, we still has to do some manual calculations on where we should set the access points, which is a time-consuming process as there were no automatic setup functions provided by the tool."
"We would like to see a better licensing model for our customers."
"They lack in some hardware stratification."
"The price is an area that requires improvement. The pricing could be better."
"It is very difficult to convince the customer to choose Ruckus because of the price."
"They could add more flexibility for switching over to another radio if a radio is poor. I am not able to change the radios from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz. I am yet to figure it out. I want it to be a bit more explicit or a bit easier to change radios. When you shut it down, you lose some of the information. It would be good to have a controller where I can store the information, and later on, I can retrieve the information. There should be some form of small storage to keep the information. Its price should also be improved. Its price is currently quite high."
"My suggestion would be for them to return to more innovative thinking or innovative ideas."
"The solution needs to have some sort of security offering, like a firewall, for example."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution's pricing is reasonable."
"In terms of costs, Aruba Instant is cheap because it doesn't require a license, but you'll incur charges for the access points. Access point charges could be more affordable."
"The product has increased its pricing by at least 30 percent."
"I rate the product's price a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."
"There’s no licensing required to use the tool."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten."
"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 price of Ruckus Wireless is more expensive than other options."
"The pricing is the biggest issue with Ruckus wireless. It's so expensive, but Ruckus are just the best."
"It is a pricey solution."
"We paid for a three-year contract last year. I am not sure about what we paid. It is certainly less expensive than Meraki."
"We also looked at Cisco and Aruba but Ruckus pricing was better."
"I would rate their pricing 3 out of 5. There is no annual licensing cost."
"We don't pay any licensing fees, we purchase them."
"It is a good product, but it is pricey. In terms of the pricing, it is a bit expensive."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Construction Company
6%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

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...
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...
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...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What did we like about Ruckus? First, it was very easy to use, and anybody with minimal...
Which is better - Ruckus Wireless or Cisco Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless offers users the benefit of being both easy to set up and get running as well as being very user friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...
How does Ruckus Wireless compare to Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?
Cisco’s Meraki Virtual MX is a virtual instance of the Meraki SD-WAN appliance. We liked the Meraki. The Wifi APs are a great feature. The dashboard is a simple interface and easy to learn. It feat...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks
American University of Sharjah, Baruch College, Centro Escolar Liceo Santo Tomšs, Chevalier College, Chico Unified School District, Colegio de Fomento El Prado, Columbia Public Schools, Delta School District, Dordt College, Douglas County School District, Drew University, Armonea, Central Utah Clinic, Grove Hill Medical Center, Inner South Community Health Service, Midwest Surgical, Satilla Regional Medical Center, Lyndoch Living, Polonus, Roaring Fork School District, Sonora State, Vivid, Sydney, Players Club, Sandals, Scandic Hotels, Sheraton LAX, Sunbird
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant vs. Ruckus Wireless and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
861,390 professionals have used our research since 2012.