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Cisco Network Assurance Engine [EOL] vs Ekahau AI Pro comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 7, 2025

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 Network Assurance Eng...
Average Rating
8.0
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ekahau AI Pro
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
35
Ranking in other categories
Network Modeling and Simulation (1st)
 

Featured Reviews

reviewer2352375 - PeerSpot reviewer
Managing Director at a comms service provider with 11-50 employees
Helps to easily detect and resolve issues like security threats, bandwidth usage concerns, and performance bottlenecks
I use Cisco Network Assurance Engine to ensure the security, compliance, and smooth operation of my network infrastructure. With this tool, I can easily detect and resolve issues like security threats, bandwidth usage concerns, and performance bottlenecks across my hundreds of PCs and other ICT…
ALEXANDRE VIANNA - PeerSpot reviewer
CTO at Redeswirelessbrasil
Good optimization capabilities, automatic network planning tool and saves time
Ekahau needs to enhance the view of materials and make some adjustments to the reports. Currently, it's possible to make changes to the Word report using Python, but it could be improved. For example, when I create an AP on a survey report, information like the cable view, distance, and support assessments could be enhanced. Only one comment about Ekahau Optimizer. It needs improvement. I tried to upload site products, and for five products, I needed to involve Ekahau's supply chain. When I try to solve that, it's not possible. For example, I uploaded one product for a large bank, and the optimizer didn't finish. I needed to involve Ekahau support, and they sent me the file two or three days after I opened the case.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Try Cisco Network Assurance Engine out, as it is really good."
"It is easy to set up."
"We install this solution for our clients who like the solution and their experience with it."
"Any product that Cisco provides will give the user more visibility into their connectivity and network, thus protecting their environment."
"It is scalable from the beginning. It is a product that you can scale upwards whenever you want."
"In a short amount of time, you can see what went wrong on a screen in a report."
"The standout feature of Cisco Network Assurance Engine is its ability to proactively detect and prevent network issues before they occur."
"The planning feature is useful because it's very affordable."
"The ability to perform dual-band spectrum analysis while conducting the standard WiFi site survey is a tremendous time saver."
"Their software, combined with the Sidekick, is the best tool that we have come across."
"I like that our users can send us a floor map. Sometimes it's not feasible to travel to another country where the users are based. So, the floor map is very useful. It's a fantastic product."
"When you have a new site to plan, with ESS you can easily create a good plan to begin to understand the solution and the challenges."
"Customer service is excellent; always there to answer questions or assist with an issue; very open to feedback on how to improve the product."
"We are satisfied with the way this product is working."
"The speed, accuracy, and reliability has improved the way my organization functions."
 

Cons

"Because what they have right now is not good enough, and good enough will not work anymore."
"It needs authentication beyond just local and LDAP. It should also have TACACS+ and RADIUS."
"To enhance Cisco Network Assurance Engine, simplifying its interface and making it more user-friendly would be beneficial."
"At the beginning, the setup was complex."
"The scalability is one of the biggest failures of the solution."
"The GPS feature inside Ekahau could be improved."
"The information regarding the clients and signal strengths is missing in the Ekahau console."
"Ekahau would benefit by making improvements to lag time."
"The stability has just been really bad lately."
"Lacks an in-app photo app or a way to upload photos while carrying out an active onsite survey."
"Ekahau could be improved by adding three-dimensional modeling, as we currently cannot view APIs in a three-dimensional perspective."
"It would be better if it provided clear visibility. It would be better if it accommodated large physical sites like a warehouse with a ceiling height of more than twelve to fifteen feet. In such situations, we were unable to provide better coverage."
"I wish the solution was better at making different survey modes."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

Information not available
"The solution is less costly than one of its competitors."
"The pricing could be lower because the Huawei radial planning is free for the partner. When I asked my boss about buying Ekahau and the USB key, it was complicated because of the high cost, which is €5,000."
"Ekahau Site Survey is a really expensive solution."
"The licenses are a little pricey compared to iBwave, etc."
"I believe that it is approximately $2,000 per year for us. I know we pay for it on an annual basis."
"This solution is not cheap. If you only need an occasional site survey, you are better off contracting a wireless engineering professional that has one."
"9,000 Euro per year."
"Since we are an academic institute, we get better prices and discounts from Cisco, but not Ekahau."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
No data available
Comms Service Provider
11%
Computer Software Company
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Outsourcing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business20
Midsize Enterprise2
Large Enterprise15
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
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What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Ekahau Site Survey?
Things to consider when choosing Ekahau Sidekick2: you need to add another 10% to the purchase price to buy Apple ipads as the Android version of the Ekahau survey app does NOT support APOS surveys...
What needs improvement with Ekahau Site Survey?
Ekahau could be improved by adding three-dimensional modeling, as we currently cannot view APIs in a three-dimensional perspective. They need to include backhaul features and improve the ease of in...
What is your primary use case for Ekahau Site Survey?
I use Ekahau for Wi-Fi designs and other services. It is used for troubleshooting and for analyzing the network. Additionally, we analyze each and every API, FSID, power transmission, bitrates, and...
 

Also Known As

Cisco NAE, Candid
Ekahau Site Survey
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

West Corporation, Axians Nordic, Robert Bosch, DICTU, Tenaris
Presidio, Planet Earth, Ruckus
Find out what your peers are saying about Ekahau, Cisco, iBwave and others in Network Modeling and Simulation. Updated: October 2026.
918,957 professionals have used our research since 2012.