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Aruba Wireless vs Ubiquiti UniFi comparison

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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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Wireless
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
151
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (1st)
Ubiquiti UniFi
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
13
Ranking in other categories
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Aruba Wireless is designed for Wireless LAN and holds a mindshare of 12.9%, down 16.0% compared to last year.
Ubiquiti UniFi, on the other hand, focuses on Wi-Fi Hotspot Software, holds 26.7% mindshare, down 34.2% since last year.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Aruba Wireless12.9%
Ruckus Wireless10.3%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN10.2%
Other66.6%
Wireless LAN
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Ubiquiti UniFi26.7%
Purple WiFi33.0%
Guest Internet Solutions29.2%
Other11.099999999999994%
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software
 

Featured Reviews

CK
Network Administrator at Nippon Express Canada Ltd.
Wireless network has supported long-term reliable access and simplifies RF optimization
I have experience with Cisco products and the Cisco brand. The product is mainly a hardware product. Regarding the software part, I don't have a lot of experience. Aruba Wireless was not too difficult to set up. When compared with other products such as Cisco, they also have products with wireless controllers, and it's similar to that. I think it should be recommended for both bigger and smaller companies based on the feedback and our experience. I believe there should be AI functions that might help us in some cases of cybersecurity matters, detecting threats regarding security would be better with AI. For this role, I have more than twenty years of experience. I would rate Aruba Wireless eight out of ten overall.
NN
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
Has provided reliable long-term video storage without ongoing fees
You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic. They previously provided setup support but discontinued this service, though you save money overall by not paying monthly fees. I would rate Ubiquiti UniFi's support zero because they've always had inadequate support. Trying to get someone on the phone is nearly impossible, and although they now have a support plan, emergency help is frustratingly difficult to find when the company doesn't provide it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The virtual controller has options for updating and remotely restarting any AP from one controller panel."
"Aruba is the easiest to install."
"​Stability and its ability to handle more devices has been an improvement for our organization.​"
"Its graphical user interface is designed to be user-friendly, making work more efficient."
"From a purely wireless perspective, I think that Aruba is number one."
"I do not need to buy a controller for the access point since the Aruba Access Point has a built-in virtual controller."
"​Initial setup was very straightforward. We set up the switches and APs, then took it from there. ​​"
"We appreciate the integration options that are available."
"Business is growing due to referrals."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is how it is centralized."
"The most beneficial aspects of Ubiquiti UniFi are pricing, because it is significantly cheaper compared to major enterprise vendors such as Cisco, Aruba, or Fortinet."
"Firmware can be pushed or manually updated."
"The advantage of Ubiquiti UniFi is that you can have on-premise storage and avoid all cloud fees, allowing you to keep building your storage, adding more video storage units, and store video for up to three years and nine months without paying external fees."
"In general, the solution is reliable, trustworthy and generally works quite well."
"The solution is easy to configure, low cost, and reliable."
"The most valuable features are its easy access, the controller, and constant updates."
 

Cons

"Some of the diagnostic features I'd expect to help me troubleshoot parts of the network are missing."
"My biggest issue is the logging. It is hard to read when troubleshooting issues."
"Aruba Wireless is a little bit complex to use and operate."
"The support should be faster."
"What needs improvement in Aruba Wireless is its access point, in particular, it should have more flexibility. Aruba Wireless has Campus AP, Instant AP, and Unified AP, but it would be better if the product has a generic access point that you can manage over the cloud, on-premise, etc. Another area for improvement in Aruba Wireless is scalability. In terms of what additional features I'd like to see in the product, I'm unsure if it's already on the roadmap, but if possible, it would be good to have an SD-WAN functionality on the AP in Aruba Wireless."
"Customer service really needs to be improved. If the customer support was better, I would recommend it to others more than I do now. Considering that you have to pay yearly for support, I expect a higher level of support."
"​Some additional reporting features about the clients would be nice when not combined with the AirWave management package.​"
"I would have liked to see more manufacturer driven events and outings to drive brand recognition and familiarity.​"
"The major issue I see is connected with troubleshooting, which is my main concern."
"Better pre-purchase docs, as I have to contact support via chat for some things that should already be in documents."
"They provide support via Chat ONLY, and moreover, they are not very knowledgeable."
"You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic."
"Integrate NanoBeams into the Controller Software."
"The one bad part, it is almost nonexistent and relies on a user community."
"Documentation could be improved, especially regarding known issues or new features. It relies heavily on the user community to provide support and info. There is a vast user group with support groups on both the dedicated forums as well as most social media platforms."
"A more powerful heatmapping application in the controller would assist in more reliable WiFi modeling."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"It's not expensive. That is the reason we switched to Aruba."
"The price of Aruba Wireless could improve. It is expensive. However, I am able to reduce my costs because I do not use all the features in the controller, such as the AD integration and other enterprise features."
"Get multiple bids/quotes, and talk to the representatives about the limitations of the product; pretty standard."
"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.​"
"​Price is fairly expensive, however it is worth it. If the “master” fails, another AP can take over the role.​"
"​We will be buying the ClearPass solution, which will be pricey. However, in the trial version, it has even more tools to manage a busy network.​"
"The product is expensive."
"​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. ​"
Information not available
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Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
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

Vinny Govender - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Applications Specialist at bioMérieux
Jul 26, 2022
Jul 26, 2022
1 Ruckus 2 Aruba 3 Cambium It depends on your enviroment. Greetings
2 out of 9 answers
AH
IT Admin at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Nov 15, 2021
Hi, You can purchase WiFi access points from any of the above vendors. But it must be a commercial access point as in AP a few connect to the limited devices and a few can connect large devices with a single AP. It will totally depend on your work environment and access point signals covering the area. In the hall, AP can cover a large area but there is a concrete wall between two rooms or a corridor then it can down the signal to 50 DBM. So, when deciding on a WIFI/AP keep all these things in mind.
EK
Partner / Owner at Bimel Elektronik Mamuller Paz. Ltd.
Nov 15, 2021
If you want high performance and stability, you should definitely go with Ruckus Wireless.  Ruckus Wireless APs have: - Adaptive antenna technology (called BeamFlex) This technology analyzes different paths to reach the client and electronically turns itself to a directional antenna, choosing the path that gives the best performance to reach each specific client. If the client is mobile or if the environment changes (such as a warehouse) the selection of paths/direction also changes instantly. Transmitting in a directional way allows a good Signal-to-Noise Ratio and also causes less interference for other nearby APs outside the path of the directional transmission. - ChannelFly technology This technology chooses the best channel based on performance rather than background scanning for noise. - Polarization Diversity This technology allows the clients not to lose signal strength when held at different angles (important for mobile devices such as tablets and telephones). - Better receive sensitivity compared to the competitors All these features make Ruckus Wireless a better choice than any other competitor (better performance, better coverage area, more stable and surprise-free communication especially in not so easy conditions such as noise, too many clients, too much traffic).
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Outsourcing Company
7%
Computer Software Company
7%
Comms Service Provider
14%
Computer Software Company
8%
Media Company
6%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business77
Midsize Enterprise47
Large Enterprise77
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise2
 

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 have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them. Do you have expe...
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...
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 hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ubiquiti UniFi?
My experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing for Ubiquiti UniFi was not too bad, as I think it was more simplified than I expected.
What needs improvement with Ubiquiti UniFi?
Regarding improvements for Ubiquiti UniFi, I think the price point is super nice, and I don't think it can be improved.
What is your primary use case for Ubiquiti UniFi?
My main use case for Ubiquiti UniFi is for small businesses, managing internet traffic of users and making sure that Wi-Fi is spread across the campus. I manage internet traffic using Ubiquiti UniF...
 

Also Known As

Aruba WLAN, HP WLAN, HP Wireless, Aruba Instant On AP Series Access Point
UniFi
 

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
NASCAR Grand-AM, Maritime Parc, Outdoor Music Festival, One Republic Tour, British Armed Forces, Arcadia School District, Bartlett School District, Universidad del Azuay, Estelar Hotels, Intercontinental Bali, Moscow - Enforta, Miami - Sling Broadband, Manhattan - MST, Ecuador - Aire.EC
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: August 2026.
911,473 professionals have used our research since 2012.