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Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Wireless vs Ruckus 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:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Wireless is 16.0%, down from 22.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Wireless is 11.1%, down from 14.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ruckus Wireless is 14.1%, up from 13.6% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Wireless16.0%
Ruckus Wireless14.1%
Cisco Wireless11.1%
Other58.8%
Wireless LAN
 

Q&A Highlights

reviewer1268586 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 26, 2020
 

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.
Theesula Majuwanagamage - PeerSpot reviewer
Bridging capabilities ensure network continuity and reliability in large-scale deployments
The most valuable feature of Cisco Wireless is the bridging capability. If one network fails, there is a link between different access points, which ensures network continuity. Additionally, Cisco offers significant discounts for large projects. The reliability and robust solution are also key aspects, as there have been no errors or failures. The implementation is straightforward, and the user interface connection is easy.
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

"All features are useful for me. It lets me perform some specific configurations depending on the site or the client. All WAN features are valuable."
"​Our wireless overhaul has reduced the number of wireless related help desk tickets by nearly 90%.​"
"The technical support is 24/7 from the UA."
"Enterprise wireless LAN solution with good visibility and amazing scalability. Aruba Wireless also offers good technical support."
"The main features of Aruba Wireless in my country is its popularity, long hardware warranty when compared to other solutions, and it integrates well with our network access control solution."
"I would rate their scalability as ten out of ten."
"With Aruba Instant, we can use the access points independently, allowing us to position them in many places."
"The solution is very stable."
"Cisco Wireless is mostly stable with a low downrate and the signal rate is good. It is also easy to use."
"The LAN network conductivity is good."
"Compared to other solutions, captive guest network is one of the best isolation and tunneling."
"For me, the most valuable thing about Cisco Wireless is its ease of use and stability."
"The ability to deploy wireless access points with templates."
"The solution is easy to use and its stable."
"The support offered by Cisco is excellent. They are very responsive and knowledgeable."
"This is a very stable solution that solves complex issues."
"In my experience, Ruckus devices are much more reliable than other vendors when it comes to consistency, coverage, and client density. Ruckus is very simple to configure and troubleshoot."
"It's reliable wireless equipment."
"Ruckus has allowed us to deploy better Wi-Fi coverage in the past few years."
"The solution is used for public Wi-Fi. The Wi-Fi solution provides internet connectivity in the public platform."
"Its roaming capabilities and the fact that we can have redundant backup controllers are the most valuable. There is a backup controller that is heart beated to the primary. It is also fairly easy to install."
"The most valuable feature of Ruckus Wireless is its exceptional performance and reliability. The signal is highly reliable. We have not received a single complaint in the past year, which is a marked improvement from our prior equipment."
"The solution has many innovative features."
"Our IT staff can quickly issue guest passes for vendors and the instructions are very straightforward, requiring very little effort to get connected."
 

Cons

"The network times for protocol synchronization can be improved."
"Lacks a heat map analysis and a cloud-based wireless controller."
"What I would like to have with these kinds of devices is the most enhanced security. For example, if I could apply security from wireless devices, that would be great. I would also like more enhanced reports on user adoption, who is getting what bandwidth."
"The ceiling grid mount clips have room for improvement. ​"
"The access points could be cheaper. While the technical specifications are satisfactory, the access points are expensive."
"An area for improvement in Aruba Wireless is creating a DMZ. Without Aruba ClearPass, you need to allow guess access directly via the internet, which means you need to implement the security in between, so this is what I'd like Aruba to improve in the product."
"The solution needs to add features and enhance security."
"Support for Aruba Wireless is good, but the skill set of the support engineers and the documentation are not as robust as Cisco."
"The coverage area of Cisco Wireless could improve. Additionally, the reports when a problem arises could be better, such as how it is done in Aruba Wireless solutions. In the Aruba wireless solutions, there are reports that are provided regarding uploads, downloads, and other internet activity that are useful. If this feature was added to Cisco that would be a benefit."
"The solution is stable but it could be improved. However, this could be because there are not enough APs."
"The coverage provided by the solution is an area of concern in some cases, making it an area where improvements are required."
"Their software's really clunky."
"The current issue with Cisco is I don't have centralized management."
"Most definitely the cost."
"The flexibility on the controllers isn't that great."
"There are performance issues, particularly with video calls where throughput is not great."
"Its interface could be a little bit more user friendly."
"They need to be able to allow us to keep some of the older products on our cloud controllers or any of their controllers longer and just start supporting the new controllers. They force you into an upgrade unnecessarily."
"The price could be improved."
"Having support available that is more compatible with time zones in the United States would be helpful."
"o make it a ten I would like the ability to replace it if we do have a faulty device. Getting one faster might be helpful. I would like to have autoconfiguration where instead of having to configure a new network, we would be able to push all configuration out a little easier with the interface."
"The current reporting is limited to 30 days, and it would be helpful if there was an option to extend it to one year."
"It would be ideal if the solution offered more features."
"They should work to make their licensing more affordable."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Aruba Wireless is reasonable."
"Partner had been using Cisco. They switched to Aruba, because of price and functionality, also with an option for adding a SW, like AirWave, Meridian, ClearPass, and Central."
"The support pricing for Juniper Mist is higher than Aruba."
"I think they should lower their prices."
"​AP signal strength and price. I know this is a competitive market, but APs should not cost so much if they do not cover a large area. ​"
"Customers have to pay for perpetual licenses with Aruba controller licenses, depending on the features they are looking for."
"I am aiding in transitioning my organization to a different wireless solution due to the cost. We need to expand our network and the cost of new APs and an upgraded controller have proved to be prohibitive compared to similar solutions on the market.​"
"The price is low. There is an additional cost for maintenance."
"We have to pay for the hardware and support is extra and we do pay for the support."
"The pricing is a bit high."
"This product's pricing is good. It's not too expensive."
"Its licensing is hard to understand."
"The license is a one-time purchase."
"I rate the tool's pricing a seven out of ten."
"The product is expensive."
"The licensing system is very rigid. I work for a school and we are just treated like big companies. At some point, there's a limit to what we can do about that."
"Ruckus Wireless is available at a reasonable price"
"Regarding pricing, Ruckus Wireless is a five out of ten. Though it's cheaper than Aruba Wireless, pricing for Ruckus Wireless, when you look at its functionality, could be more affordable."
"Ruckus Wireless pricing is reasonable. On a scale from one to five, I would give Ruckus Wireless pricing a four."
"Ubiquiti and Aruba Instant On are good for small businesses in terms of cost than Ruckus Wireless."
"If you walk into any restaurant or hotel you will find Ruckus Wireless solutions because it is economical when it comes to pricing. There is a basic subscription for the license and support."
"We found it a little more expensive than the other competitors on the market."
"We have a yearly license for our multiple mode 200 or 300 Ruckus Wireless systems. It's a good price."
"The price could be better. Normally, if you find customers paying for cost-effective wireless solutions, Ruckus devices are a little expensive compared to other vendors."
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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…
 

Answers from the Community

reviewer1268586 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 26, 2020
Jan 26, 2020
The Antenna system named BEAMFLEX + is the great difference between all other brands. This Patented Technology gives Ruckus the best performance in all scenarios. No doubt Ruckus is superior.
2 out of 3 answers
GB
Jan 23, 2020
* Cisco will most likely be the most expensive solution. Are they the best, I really do not think so as I feel you are paying extra for the name. Although, their Meraki solution is less expensive and does operate decently and is a cloud-based solution. * I currently use Aruba Networks. Our system is due for an upgrade which we will be using Aruba Networks again. This time, it will be a cloud-based solution. * I have not used Ruckus wireless but have heard good things about it in the K-12 education arena. I think they are very comparable to Aruba Networks. * My best recommendation would be to do a Google search on the differences between the 3 systems. I am certain there are articles written about the pros/cons of each system.
RS
Jan 23, 2020
We found that Ruckus has superior Radio Frequency sensitivity than all your other choices. Cisco Meraki has a superior back end, but to us, RF sensitivity is the most important characteristic.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Financial Services Firm
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business74
Midsize Enterprise45
Large Enterprise73
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business73
Midsize Enterprise42
Large Enterprise74
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business69
Midsize Enterprise19
Large Enterprise25
 

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...
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 frie...
What do you like most about Cisco Wireless?
Cisco Wireless improves mobility and flexibility. The only case we are working on is with hospitals, focusing on the ...
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...
What do you like most about Ruckus Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless is an easy to manage solution.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ruckus Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless is quite economical compared to Meraki or Cisco Umbrella ( /products/cisco-umbrella-reviews ) APs. It...
 

Also Known As

Aruba WLAN, HP WLAN, HP Wireless, Aruba Instant On AP Series Access Point
Cisco WLAN Controller
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
Aegean Motorway, Baylor Scott & White Health, Beachbody, Bellevue, Brunel University London, Bucks County Intermediate Unit , Chartwell School, Children's Hospital Colorado, Cisco Live Milan, City of Biel, City of Mississauga, Dundee Precious Metals, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Erickson Living, Goldcorp, Great Ormond Street Hospital, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS)
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 Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: July 2025.
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