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Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Ubiquiti Wireless comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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
6.5
Users had mixed ROI on Aruba Wireless, citing productivity gains yet facing early service reliability and ROI measurement challenges.
Sentiment score
1.0
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers financial savings and scalability, justifying initial costs, though competitors may offer similar features cheaper.
Sentiment score
6.3
Ubiquiti Wireless users report long-lasting equipment with minimal maintenance, though some suggest improvements and additional user controls.
There is no need to buy additional controllers for managing access points.
There are significant time savings, around thirty to forty percent, due to minimal disconnections.
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.4
Aruba Wireless customer service is fast and professional but occasionally lacks communication clarity, especially at higher support tiers.
Sentiment score
3.0
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN support is generally prompt and knowledgeable, but inconsistencies and delays exist, especially with complex issues.
Sentiment score
5.2
Ubiquiti Wireless support varies, relying on email and forums; lacks phone support, leading to mixed user experiences.
I only needed support once or twice for a replacement, and it was handled smoothly without any difficulty.
I would rate their technical support nine out of ten.
The customer support is good.
It would be better if the SLA of technical support was less than four hours.
The main concern is about response time rather than technical expertise or experience.
I didn't have any issues with Ubiquiti support.
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Aruba Wireless is praised for scalability, ease of deployment, and adaptability across diverse environments with cloud compatibility.
Sentiment score
6.3
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers seamless scalability, easy expansion, and strong adaptability, despite some cost and licensing challenges.
Sentiment score
7.5
Ubiquiti Wireless excels in scalability and centralized management, ideal for small to medium businesses expanding their network infrastructure.
The solution is scalable, as multiple sites connect seamlessly.
It is easy to adapt and very scalable.
Meraki is not scalable enough since it straightforwardly maps its products to segmented specifications.
Ubiquiti Wireless offers large scalability, which is very important for our company as we have multiple sites that need to be interconnected and managed effectively.
We primarily use them for switching and Wi-Fi solutions.
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Aruba Wireless is highly reliable and stable, scoring 8-10, praised for handling heavy loads in diverse environments.
Sentiment score
4.6
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is stable and reliable, but may experience issues during firmware updates and in high-density areas.
Sentiment score
7.3
Ubiquiti Wireless is praised for its stable, reliable performance, with occasional connectivity issues noted in crowded areas.
I have been using the product for the last nine years without facing any issues post-installation.
I don't remember it going down during the years it existed.
Aruba Wireless is stable.
Stability is not an issue for me because it comes with Cisco's proven manufacturer quality.
We have experienced many instances where we have experienced a lag in our network, and I am not sure if it is due to their devices or our network.
Ubiquiti Wireless is rated ten out of ten for stability.
 

Room For Improvement

Aruba Wireless needs better stability, user interface, support, affordable pricing, faster updates, and improved security and integration.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN needs improved features, integration, scalability, security, and competitive pricing to match competitors' offerings.
Ubiquiti Wireless lacks advanced features, scalability, and support, facing issues with usability, integration, durability, and supply chain.
The product should be more affordable, especially the cloud and console for the Aruba product as it is currently very expensive.
While the technical specifications are satisfactory, the access points are expensive.
At the time of purchase, the prices were moderate, but now they are quite expensive.
The most important improvement needed is to eliminate the limitation of uplinks.
Some of the newer models of the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN access point have encompassed the new wireless protocols and increased the strength of their antennas.
Enterprise users require more details and options.
The user interface could be made more intuitive.
When implementing Wi-Fi for a campus, we use Cisco for the core backbone infrastructure, while implementing Ubiquiti Wireless for the Wi-Fi and controller.
 

Setup Cost

Aruba Wireless setup costs are high, but maintenance is low; pricing is seen as competitive and justified by performance.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is costly with annual licenses, but valued for quality despite limited renewal discounts and coterminous issues.
Ubiquiti Wireless is praised for its affordability and no licensing fees, making it ideal for small to medium businesses.
The pricing seems reasonable compared to other brands; however, it is too expensive for smaller businesses.
The pricing can be expensive.
The initial prices were more affordable compared to the current high prices.
The pricing of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is not competitive enough for the SMB market compared to other brands.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is on par with other devices in that category, offering competitive pricing.
Ubiquiti Wireless is cheaper.
The equipment is priced relatively high, though the value it provides makes it worth the cost.
Ubiquiti Wireless is quite affordable, making it accessible for smaller companies.
 

Valuable Features

Aruba Wireless is preferred for its security, central management, cost-effectiveness, Wi-Fi 6, and user-friendly features.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers cloud management, ease of deployment, security features, and real-time monitoring for versatile network management.
Ubiquiti Wireless excels in setup, management, performance, and security, offering scalable, affordable solutions with robust coverage and intuitive use.
I do not need to buy a controller for the access point since the Aruba Access Point has a built-in virtual controller.
The Aruba Wireless solution has excellent roaming capabilities, ensuring seamless connectivity.
It has many features and is integrated with Azure AD and multiple active directories, making authentication easy.
It also manages security clients and switches, providing a single dashboard to manage multiple network infrastructures.
The ability to program all access points from the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN dashboard, view the status of all of them, and examine the individual devices connected to each access point is very valuable.
All the access points provide good connectivity and are reliable.
Since implementing Ubiquiti Wireless, I have seen improvements in connection security, wireless speed, and overall network stability.
The integration of Ubiquiti Wireless with other Ubiquiti products in the setup is seamless and perfect.
 

Mindshare comparison

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Wireless15.4%
Ruckus Wireless13.8%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN11.5%
Other59.3%
Wireless LAN
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN11.5%
Aruba Wireless15.4%
Ruckus Wireless13.8%
Other59.3%
Wireless LAN
Wireless WAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ubiquiti Wireless37.6%
Ruckus Wireless WAN31.9%
Cambium Networks Wireless WAN12.4%
Other18.099999999999994%
Wireless WAN
 

Featured Reviews

Muhammad_Faisal - PeerSpot reviewer
Experience seamless connectivity with top-notch roaming capabilities
The Aruba Wireless solution has excellent roaming capabilities, ensuring seamless connectivity. Once installed, Aruba Wireless works robustly without overheating issues. This is particularly effective compared to other products I've used, like FortiMonitor and FortiAPs, which sometimes heat up. I am very satisfied with the roaming feature, as it ensures connectivity when moving from one location to another. The product's stability, after setting it up, adds to its value.
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
Streamline network management with a unified dashboard for seamless device integration
The primary use case for Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is mostly for enterprise wireless, including guest Wi-Fi and enterprise Wi-Fi. I use it across various industries with a focus on retail Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers a single pane of glass management. It only comes with a controller on the…
Donald Ochanda - PeerSpot reviewer
Seamless coverage amplifies connectivity while enhanced responsiveness strengthens potential
We do not prefer Ubiquiti Wireless switches for more complex environments, not because they lack scalability, but because we haven't explored their products extensively. We are strong on their Wi-Fi solution. When implementing Wi-Fi for a campus, we use Cisco for the core backbone infrastructure, while implementing Ubiquiti Wireless for the Wi-Fi and controller. Perhaps we haven't discovered switches that would match our requirements, or maybe they exist but we haven't explored their capabilities fully. Regarding improvements to Ubiquiti Wireless, I cannot provide specific suggestions as I'm not an expert on Wi-Fi, as there is a dedicated team that handles Wi-Fi solutions.
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Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
Mar 24, 2015
Cisco vs. Aruba Wireless Solutions
Cisco or Aruba Networks? If you are considering wireless access solutions, this is a common question that you are probably asking. You probably have sales people knocking at your door. How do you make sense of all the stories that you are presented with. If you have done any research, you are…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Government
7%
Retailer
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business76
Midsize Enterprise46
Large Enterprise73
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business68
Midsize Enterprise26
Large Enterprise31
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business48
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise18
 

Questions from the Community

What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?
Depends. I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them. Extreme I am not, so unless they h...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What di...
How does Cisco Wireless compare with Aruba Wireless?
On the most basic level, Cisco Wireless can offer a rather straightforward initial setup. In the span of about three ...
Which is better - Cisco Wireless or Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?
Cisco Wireless is very robust, very rugged, and can handle indoor and outdoor coverage extremely well. We found it to...
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...
Which is better - Ubiquiti Wireless or Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?
Ubiquiti Wireless offers a wide range of WLAN products. We tested their devices before ultimately choosing Cisco Mera...
Is Ubiquiti Wireless better than Ruckus Wireless WAN?
Ubiquiti Wireless is extremely easy to set up and is an excellent option for small businesses, offering enterprise fe...
Which is better - Cambium or Ubiquiti Wireless?
For me, Ubiquiti was easy to install, configure, set up, and maintain, while also providing solid coverage and better...
What do you like most about Ubiquiti Wireless?
We had a client with a power plant. Different wireless devices from various brands caused problems. We fixed it using...
 

Also Known As

Aruba WLAN, HP WLAN, HP Wireless, Aruba Instant On AP Series Access Point
MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins
NASCAR Grand-AM, Maritime Parc, Outdoor Music Festival, British Armed Forces, Arcadia School District, Moscow - Enforta
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: October 2025.
869,785 professionals have used our research since 2012.