Aruba Instant vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and SonicWall are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #10 with an average rating of 8.5, while SonicWall is ranked #20 with an average rating of 10.0. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.0% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to SonicWall’s 0.6% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant

Read 52 Aruba Instant reviews

2,065 Views
1,982 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Read 4 SonicWall SonicWave Access Points reviews

510 Views
510 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Aruba Instant and SonicWall SonicWave Access Points compete in wireless network solutions. While Aruba Instant has advantages in pricing and customer support, SonicWave Access Points offers robust features, making it a worthwhile investment.

Features: Aruba Instant supports seamless scalability, intelligent app visibility, and integrated security features. SonicWall SonicWave provides advanced threat prevention, superior Wi-Fi signal strength, and compatibility with various security standards.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Aruba Instant is easy to deploy with auto-configuration and has user-friendly support. SonicWave Access Points requires more setup but offers extensive documentation and reliable service.

Pricing and ROI: Aruba Instant offers competitive pricing with lower setup costs, appealing to budget-conscious buyers. SonicWall SonicWave, while more expensive, offers a comprehensive feature set that may justify the investment.

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

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

September 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

10th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

SonicWall SonicWave Access ...

Ranking in Wireless LAN

20th

Average Rating

10.0

Reviews Sentiment

7.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 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 SonicWall SonicWave Access Points is 0.6%, 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	2.0%
SonicWall SonicWave Access Points	0.6%
Other	97.4%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

SreejeshSoman

Technical Consultant at Vertex Techno Solutions (B) Pvt Ltd

Has supported mid-market deployments with cloud-based centralized management and reliable wireless performance

I faced challenges earlier with a limitation of 50 APs in single sites, but that has enhanced to 100 numbers, eliminating that challenge for Aruba Instant On team. Additionally, some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us.

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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 quick setup and automatic code embedded in one access point is really useful."

"It's practical. It does what it needs to do."

"The features I have found most valuable is that the solution creates a guest portal for guest networks, and setting up SSID authentication to the regular server."

"You can handle all of the access points at once virtually instead of manually handling each one. You're able to populate all of the information to all of the access points through the virtual controller as well. It transforms everything it a single access point, which simplifies things."

"The most valuable features of Aruba Instant are management and performance."

"I like the Instant On switches and the AP22"

"The technical support from Aruba is of high quality, and I would rate it a ten."

"The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect."

More Aruba Instant pros

"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."

"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."

"I rate SonicWall a nine out of ten."

"The security features of SonicWall are highly valued."

Cons

"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."

"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."

"There is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal."

"I think that the next release should offer IP phone security/firewall."

"We have faced delay in customer support which has affected our business performance. So the customer support needs to be prompt in their responses."

"Some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us."

"The support offered by Aruba is slow."

"Aruba Instant is a simple and scalable solution that works well, but the costs you incur from access points could be cheaper."

More Aruba Instant cons

"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."

"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."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."

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

"In my region right now, Aruba Instant comes with a default two-year cloud access license."

"Some in the hospitality industry use the solution because it's cheaper and doesn't require licenses."

"The setup cost varies based on each organization's requirements but it is within reason."

"I would rate pricing six out of ten."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The tool's pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."

More Aruba Instant 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."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

13%

Comms Service Provider

11%

Manufacturing Company

Construction Company

Computer Software Company

17%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	14

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...

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

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Compared 30% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant

Compared 14% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 11% of the time

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 10% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 9% of the time

More Aruba Instant Competitors

Ruckus Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 31% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 28% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 15% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 14% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

Compared 12% of the time

More SonicWall SonicWave Access Points Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

October 2025

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

October 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

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

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

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

St. Dominic's School for Girls

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

September 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. SonicWall SonicWave Access Points

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

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