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Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Juniper WLC Series 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

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Ranking in Wireless LAN
4th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
4.7
Number of Reviews
123
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Juniper WLC Series
Ranking in Wireless LAN
19th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is 9.7%, down from 12.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper WLC Series is 1.5%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN9.7%
Juniper WLC Series1.5%
Other88.8%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

DolfKrikke - PeerSpot reviewer
Senior Network Architect at Previder
Centralized management has simplified remote branch control and improved network visibility
Cisco Meraki Wireless is very powerful and very easy to manage. The solution is also integrating Cisco Catalyst Wireless products into their portfolio, and they are managing the Catalyst switches as well. The seamless roaming capabilities function well. I monitor network performance with Meraki's real-time analytics. The most useful metrics to my team are the internet performance metrics, as there is a lot of information in the dashboard that I can access. All auditing and event logs are centralized in the dashboard. When I need to apply to compliance requirements or other regulatory needs, I can have my auditing in one place, which is an advantage. I use Cisco Meraki Wireless's Layer 7 application traffic shaping with the MX and the Meraki MX Firewalls.
RN
National Marketing Manager at a comms service provider with 51-200 employees
AI-driven optimization enhances network management and reduces hardware needs
In my region, access to the product is very difficult and presents a logistical nightmare. Also, pricing is a big problem and a barrier to entry when selling Juniper against competitors. Furthermore, the knowledge of the product's capabilities is not understood properly by those selling it, leading to overselling and overquoting.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"For anyone looking for a simple management solution in a geographically spread-out network, Meraki is a good bet compared to Ruckus."
"I like the record that is being kept and multiple SSDs."
"The most valuable features include key elements like creating SSIDs, networking configurations, and the ability to manage all devices through a single console."
"Their support is perfect. They're there 24/7, 365 days a year. Whether you email or phone in, there is always someone there to help you."
"Great architecturally based dashboard and the solution is accessible from anywhere."
"I really love their cloud-based dashboard which allows me to see all my locations from one location."
"I haven't had many problems, and in the many times I've worked with the kit, it's never failed me."
"The solution provides good coverage and identity management. Additionally, the user interface is straightforward."
"Its cloud machine has AI and machine learning, and therefore, it can help ensure IT has good monitoring and quicker response time as well as good troubleshooting capabilities."
"The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features."
"It provides reliable and effective Wi-Fi to our clients and it is very scalable for high density installations."
"The installation process is nice and easy."
"It is a very stable solution."
"The installation process is very easy."
"Allows end users to roam the office and be productive wireless without being plugged into an Ethernet cable."
"The AI integration with Marvis is very valuable."
 

Cons

"There should be better Spanish-language technical support."
"Because it's so easy for the common person to use, it has become less desirable for people who know the technology."
"Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is good, but not great."
"The logging sometimes doesn't give us the granularity needed. Some of the rules are a bit more complicated. The switch ports on the routers are not individually addressable, in the sense that with a switch you can tell what MAC address is on what port but with the security appliances, you can't, which would be beneficial for troubleshooting."
"The initial setup was complex."
"I have some problems when I want to connect some users when there are a lot of users and they disconnect."
"They're great. If there's anything that they need to change, it is just simplifying the site to which you go to make changes on the admin side."
"We would like the solution to work on the pricing of the solution. It would be ideal if it could bring the overall costs down."
"The network coverage of Juniper WLC Series and Cisco is different. We need to add additional access points."
"There could be a high level of security."
"The support on offer to other vendors switching - like Aruba or Ruckus - could be improved."
"WLCv was a product at the being of its evolution, so there was room for improvement there."
"There could be more information from the controller, and it could be easier to work with the controller lights. It's not easy to bring up the upgrades."
"The solution could offer more integration with other products."
"Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE."
"The solution should create configuration documentation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is expensive."
"The price is on the high side when compared to Aruba."
"The solution could improve the licensing structure and the price is expensive."
"Meraki is a very good solution, but the price is quite high for small markets."
"The price is negotiable."
"The tool is reasonably priced."
"My client has made comments on the price, indicating it is expensive, however you do receive a lot for the money that you did spend on the solution. The price of the annual renewal of the licensing of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is a little high. We wish the price would drop."
"We pay a yearly license fee for the solution."
"The product is relatively affordable for enterprise companies."
"The licensing cost is quite high, but considering it's an enterprise solution, the complexity justifies the price."
"The solution's pricing is reasonable."
"There is a certain amount that needs to be paid towards the licensing charges associated with the product, but though I am not sure, I feel the licenses that we have in our company are for three years."
"Juniper WLC Series is a bit pricey but worth its cost."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Construction Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business70
Midsize Enterprise27
Large Enterprise32
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise4
 

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...
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 be very reliable and to consistently run very efficiently. Cisco Wireless helpe...
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...
What needs improvement with Juniper WLC Series?
Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE. There should be a network access control engine. Some customers find it challenging as they do no...
What is your primary use case for Juniper WLC Series?
I work with Juniper service provider solutions. I have a service provider customer and some enterprise customers in retail.
 

Also Known As

MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN
Juniper WLAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

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
Apollo Hotel Papendrecht, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Bajaj Capital, Baloise Insurance, BAS Group, Borealis, Danish Crown, Deloitte Belgium, Jan Yperman Hospital, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, MercaSID, S.A., NHTV Breda University, Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary, San Antonio Community Hospital, Sandia National Laboratories, Springfield Public Schools (SPS), St. Catherine University, TalkTalk, The Education Village, University of Copenhagen, University of the Highlands and Islands, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Valdosta State University, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), zulily
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs. Juniper WLC Series and other solutions. Updated: June 2026.
902,417 professionals have used our research since 2012.