Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Ubiquiti Wireless comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide
Executive Summary
Updated on Mar 16, 2022

We performed a comparison between Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN and Ubiquiti Wireless based on our users’ reviews in five categories. After reading all of the collected data, you can find our conclusion below.

  • Ease of Deployment: Users of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN say that the initial setup is straightforward and simple, most similar to a “plug-and-play” system. Ubiquiti Wireless reviewers also say that setup is not overly complex or difficult, and can be completed very quickly.
  • Features: Valuable features of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN include scalability, stability, IOT integration, an excellent interface, multiple types of user groupings and access management, good visibility, a comprehensive dashboard, fantastic network security, ease of installation, and a captive portal feature. The drawbacks users mention is that it lacks customization options, could benefit from heat mapping and better cyber security, and that there is a processing limitation when you have more than three or four SSIDs. Regarding users of Ubiquiti Wireless, users overwhelmingly praise the product's scalability and stability, its reliable hardware and its alarm alerting system, as well as its dual-band feature. Users of Ubiquiti Wireless say that they would appreciate more cloud features, better security for the adaptive portal, and simpler management for guests.
  • Pricing: Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN users feel that the pricing could be better, especially with the licensing. In contrast, users of Ubiquiti Wireless state that the pricing is fair, some saying it is reasonable while others even consider it to be excellent.
  • Service and Support: Users of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN have rated service and support to be overall very positive and reliable. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN also has a knowledge base available online. Reviewers of Ubiquiti Wireless rate customer support as satisfactory, but some users feel disappointed that service and support can only be contacted via email or chat and not by phone. However, they do have online resources available, which seem to be sufficient enough for the users who tend to rely on it.
  • ROI: While no Ubiquiti Wireless users mention a direct ROI, users of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN have expressed that the gap in terms of performance, quality, features, and functionality has decreased significantly compared to what it was five years ago.

Comparison Results: Based on the parameters we compared, Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN and Ubiquiti Wireless are similar to one another. Overall, PeerSpot users found that both solutions have unique features, including great scalability and stability. Users found Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN to be more expensive, but were generally happy with its service and support. Meanwhile, users of Ubiquiti Wireless are less satisfied with the customer service but happier with the price.

To learn more, read our detailed Wireless LAN Report (Updated: September 2023).
735,226 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"The solution is pretty generic and easy to use.""The solution is stable.""In terms of reporting, in terms of all the user reports, it's very rich.""With Mist, every Wednesday they roll out new features.""The most useful feature of Juniper Wireless AP is the reporting Marvis.""The most valuable feature of the solution is Marvis, the AI-driven network management system.""The simplicity is great.""It provides private network access, helping us protect our company’s devices."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points Pros →

"Allows for cloud-based management of your Wi-Fi network.""The graphic user interface is very nice.""The initial setup of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN was very easy.""I like the status page Cisco added that shows you the health of the wireless connection.""I think the IoT integration is the most valuable. I started applying IoT solutions 12 years ago on location-based services. Aruba had implemented this at the time. So I think the integration, particularly into the applications and stuff, is pretty interesting in Meraki.""The automatic VMware update is very useful because you don't have to worry about outages and planning for VMware updates. It is very advantageous from a management point of view. The ability to restrict and review the clients connected to each of our segments. Additionally, the solution is easy to use.""Cloud management, wireless infrastructure, and implementation are all valuable features.""The most important feature is flexibility."

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"It's an excellent option for small businesses.""The solution offers us good situational awareness by providing information on user activity, signal strength, and all the data that you need to manage the system and understand issues.""What I found most valuable in Ubiquiti Wireless is that it's priced competitively, compared to other brands available in the market. From a price competitiveness standpoint, it's a product I would recommend. I also find Ubiquiti Wireless quite reliable, at least for me using it as a home access point, it seems to serve its purpose. I also like that with Ubiquiti Wireless, you can build a very modular network, so you could change out your router to use a Ubiquiti router if you want to. The solution also has gateway equipment and all, so I like the modular concept of Ubiquiti Wireless. Another feature I find valuable in the solution is monitoring. It is pretty good. For example, as a home user, I have the unified app on my computer, so I'm able to watch how my APs are performing.""It is very stable and the equipment lasts quite a long time.""The solution has an easy configuration.""Very simple, very basic setup for Ubiquiti Wireless. Its performance in a home or small business setting with fewer access points is fantastic.""The most valuable feature of Ubiquiti Wireless is the ease of configuration.""They are reliable in terms of wireless connectivity."

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Cons
"The pricing is very high in the Indian market.""I need a bit more time with it before criticizing the features.""The solution is expensive.""They should include SD-WAN features to it.""The product should include adaptive Wi-Fi to show a more accurate location.""If you want to do more specific stuff, it's a bit limited.""There is room for improvement in terms of support and installation.""The price could be better."

More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points Cons →

"The initial setup of the solution can be improved and made easier.""The solution's mobile application and management of dashboards are areas with shortcomings that need improvement.""An area for improvement would be that Meraki doesn't work well in a warehouse environment. The device is too sensitive to other wireless devices, which provokes noise and can require a reboot to erase this.""The only concern is when the license has expired and it will no longer function, the entire network goes down, without any notification, or warning.""Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN could improve by having more granularity in terms of the data displayed. However, I understand that with Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN, you need to have a compromise point to what are the functions that you're going to provide to the users versus ease of use. More granularity in terms of the data and the things that you can do to the devices would be helpful. For example, when we wanted to make a change, restriction, or segregation within Palo Alto, we can go to the level of detail that we want. The amount of detail provided is amazing, it is very granular. However, it comes with much more difficulty, it requires a technical understanding of the environment compared to Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN.""It lags a bit in providing reports for Wi-Fi performance.""The initial setup was simple. However, the full deployment could be easier.""Licensing is, in my opinion, the least appealing component. It can be difficult to keep licenses up to date in order for the system to function properly."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Cons →

"Ubiquiti is also slow to adopt new technologies. We are transitioning to Wi-Fi 6, and there aren't many products. They have mostly Wi-Fi 5 products, but there are only two Wi-Fi 6 products. It's okay for places we have already equipped, but it's a bit hard for new places.""It's hard to get stuff delivered on time.""Ubiquiti isn't as good for larger networks as any of the other wireless solutions. It lacks performance, coverage, and some of the advanced capabilities other solutions have.""t does not have traffic shaping or traffic policies in its wireless requirements.""After upgrades to the interface, some features disappear.""The strength of the routers could be improved. When it comes to serious routing, the solution doesn't measure up to the big guys like Juniper and Cisco, but we don't expect it to.""The range and maybe the quality of the signal can be improved. I had a feeling that the range wasn't long enough. Unfortunately, beyond a certain range, the signal was too weak. If I'm not mistaken, it must have been something like 100 or more than 100 meters, but I'm not sure. So, one improvement I wish for this equipment is to have a longer range, but that could mainly be due to the model we're using.""Ubiquiti Wireless could improve by being more user-friendly and easy to use."

More Ubiquiti Wireless Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "We pay maybe 1000 SEK per year, per access point."
  • "Juniper Wireless AP's price is a little more expensive than other solutions, but you get what you pay for."
  • "The pricing is something Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series) can work on. The pricing is very high compared to the competition."
  • "The pricing is too high."
  • "The solution is expensive."
  • "I rate Juniper Mist's pricing a ten out of ten since it is expensive."
  • More Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "As is always the case, the price could be better, although I do not recall exactly how much this comes out to."
  • "Higher subscription fee may be necessary if extra features are required."
  • "Cost could be better."
  • "We are on a SmartNet contract. All of our Cisco products are licensed under one contract. I do not think there are any additional costs."
  • "Pricing could be better."
  • "Cisco Meraki requires either a one year or three year license for a standard enterprise license."
  • "The price of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is per unit and it has annual maintenance costs."
  • "This solution is reasonably priced."
  • More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "The product is around $300 or $400 depending on the device. It's a one-time fee. There aren't ongoing licensing costs."
  • "We don't buy directly. We have our finance department that buys things. My speculation on the price is that because we buy from private companies and because the product is imported, people tend to give us at higher prices. This is due to the fact that it is government procurement. So, sometimes, they are not paid directly, and they have to go through the whole administrative process before they are paid. So, they tend to compensate by increasing the price, but I won't be able to say what is the exact price."
  • "It's a cost-effective solution."
  • "From a pricing point of view, Ubiquiti is excellent."
  • "Its price is more attractive when compared to competitor pricing."
  • "For €100, you have Wi-Fi and you don't have to worry about a license."
  • "Ubiquiti Wireless has reasonable pricing."
  • "We don't have any licensing costs in our use-case. It's low cost, perhaps not the leading edge in the industry, but for the type of industry we work in, the cost suits us perfectly. It's aggressive on price so we can make a margin deploying it, and we can make money managing it for our clients."
  • More Ubiquiti Wireless Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:It provides private network access, helping us protect our company’s devices.
    Top Answer:The solution is expensive. I rate its pricing a seven out of ten.
    Top Answer:Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points’ support services need improvement. We require a knowledgeable support executive to… more »
    Top Answer:Depends.  I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them.  Extreme I am not, so unless they have… more »
    Top Answer:Cisco Wireless is very robust, very rugged, and can handle indoor and outdoor coverage extremely well. We found it to be… more »
    Top Answer:Cisco’s Meraki Virtual MX is a virtual instance of the Meraki SD-WAN appliance. We liked the Meraki. The Wifi APs are a… more »
    Top Answer:Ubiquiti Wireless is extremely easy to set up and is an excellent option for small businesses, offering enterprise… more »
    Top Answer:For me, Ubiquiti was easy to install, configure, set up, and maintain, while also providing solid coverage and better… more »
    Top Answer:Ubiquiti Wireless offers a wide range of WLAN products. We tested their devices before ultimately choosing Cisco Meraki… more »
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    Juniper Wireless Access Points (AP Series), Mist Access Points
    MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN
    Learn More
    Cisco
    Video Not Available
    Ubiquiti Networks
    Video Not Available
    Overview

    Juniper Wireless Access Points work in conjunction with Juniper Mist Cloud Services and Mist AI to deliver premier wireless access capabilities. The Juniper Mist Edge extends microservices to the campus to bring agility and scale while enabling new applications at the edge.

    Cisco Meraki access points are built from the highest grade components and carefully optimized for a seamless user experience. The outcome: faster connections, greater user capacity, more coverage, and fewer support calls. The Cisco Meraki dashboard gives visibility into the network users, their devices, and their applications. Armed with rich analytics, administrators can quickly create access control and application usage policies, optimizing both the end-user experience and network security.

    Ubiquiti Wireless refers to the wireless networking solutions provided by Ubiquiti Networks, a leading technology company specializing in networking and wireless communication products. Ubiquiti Wireless offers a range of innovative and cost-effective wireless networking solutions designed for various applications, including enterprise networks, service providers, small and medium-sized businesses, and home users.

    Ubiquiti Wireless products are known for their reliability, performance, and ease of use. They encompass a wide range of devices and technologies, including wireless access points, wireless routers, antennas, bridges, mesh networks, and point-to-point or point-to-multipoint wireless links.

    Ubiquiti Wireless Features:

    • Scalability: Ubiquiti Wireless products are designed to scale easily, allowing organizations to expand their wireless networks as needed without significant infrastructure changes.

    • Flexibility: Ubiquiti Wireless offers a range of products suitable for various deployment scenarios, including indoor and outdoor environments, long-range connectivity, and mesh networks.

    • Centralized Management: Ubiquiti provides a centralized management platform called the UniFi Controller, which allows administrators to configure, monitor, and manage their entire wireless network from a single interface.

    • Seamless Roaming: Ubiquiti Wireless solutions support seamless roaming, allowing wireless devices to maintain connectivity while moving across different access points within a network.

    • Advanced Security: Ubiquiti incorporates security features such as encryption, authentication, and firewall capabilities to protect wireless networks and data transmissions.

    • Cost-Effective: Ubiquiti Wireless products are known for their affordability without compromising performance, making them an attractive option for organizations with budget constraints.

    • Community Support: Ubiquiti has a vibrant community of users and enthusiasts who actively contribute to knowledge sharing, troubleshooting, and expanding the capabilities of Ubiquiti Wireless products.

    Ubiquiti Wireless Components:

    Ubiquiti Wireless encompasses a range of components that work together to provide reliable and scalable wireless networking solutions. Here are some key components commonly found in Ubiquiti Wireless deployments:

    • Wireless Access Points (APs) for providing wireless connectivity.
    • Wireless Routers as central network hubs for managing traffic.
    • Wireless Bridges for creating wireless connections between networks.
    • Antennas to enhance wireless range and coverage.
    • Mesh Networking Devices for seamless coverage across large areas.
    • Network Switches for wired connectivity within the network.
    • Management Software like the UniFi Controller for centralized management and monitoring.

    Reviews from Real Users

    George Ferns, Solution Architect - Networking and IoT at a wholesaler & distributor, states that Ubiquiti Wireless has "Attractive pricing and good for home use and small businesses, but it is not easily scalable and lacks security features".

    Walter Shelver, Owner at CableWeb, writes that "The most valuable aspect of Ubiquiti is the ease of setup. It's easy to set up, secure, and use. It works on an adoption basis. I can pull the system up, design a network, and pull 20 different Ubiquiti units into it".

    ThomasWilke, CEO at CITOM, says that “You can almost do everything with Cisco products for a much better price with a significantly lower learning curve”.

    Offer
    Learn more about Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points
    Learn more about Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
    Learn more about Ubiquiti Wireless
    Sample Customers
    Information Not Available
    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
    Top Industries
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company19%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Government7%
    Educational Organization6%
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider19%
    Educational Organization11%
    Non Profit9%
    Financial Services Firm7%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company20%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    Educational Organization7%
    Government7%
    REVIEWERS
    Energy/Utilities Company16%
    Educational Organization13%
    University13%
    Computer Software Company10%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company13%
    Comms Service Provider9%
    Manufacturing Company7%
    Government6%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business42%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise42%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise54%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business53%
    Midsize Enterprise23%
    Large Enterprise25%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise54%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business62%
    Midsize Enterprise15%
    Large Enterprise23%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business35%
    Midsize Enterprise18%
    Large Enterprise47%
    Buyer's Guide
    Wireless LAN
    September 2023
    Find out what your peers are saying about HPE Aruba Networking, Cisco, Ruckus and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: September 2023.
    735,226 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is ranked 4th in Wireless LAN with 37 reviews while Ubiquiti Wireless is ranked 1st in Wireless WAN with 32 reviews. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is rated 8.0, while Ubiquiti Wireless is rated 7.6. The top reviewer of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN writes "Highly reliable, effective site blocking, and beneficial reports". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Ubiquiti Wireless writes "Attractive pricing and good for home use and small businesses, but not easily scalable and lacks security features". Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is most compared with Aruba Wireless, Cisco Wireless, Mist AI and Cloud, Ruckus Wireless and ExtremeWireless, whereas Ubiquiti Wireless is most compared with Ruckus Wireless WAN, Cambium Networks Wireless WAN, Aruba Wireless, Fortinet FortiWLM and ExtremeCloud IQ.

    We monitor all Wireless LAN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.