Cisco Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM vs Juniper WLC Series comparison

Cisco and Fortinet are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Cisco is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.5, while Fortinet is ranked #14 with an average rating of 8.9. Cisco holds a 11.1% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Fortinet’s 1.9% mindshare. Additionally, 88% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 95% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.

Cisco Wireless

Read 154 Cisco Wireless reviews

11,661 Views
11,544 Comparison Views

88% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLM

Read 28 Fortinet FortiWLM reviews

1,993 Views
1,834 Comparison Views

95% willing to recommend

Juniper WLC Series

Read 14 Juniper WLC Series reviews

837 Views
829 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Cisco Wireless

Fortinet FortiWLM

Juniper WLC Series

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Cisco Wireless, Fortinet FortiWLM, and Juniper WLC Series based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN.

To learn more, read our detailed Wireless LAN Report (Updated: July 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

July 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 865,576 peers since 2012

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 Cisco Wireless is 11.1%, down from 14.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 1.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper WLC Series is 1.0%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Theesula Majuwanagamage

Head Of ELV and ICT at Intec Systems Solution Pvt Ltd

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.

Read full review

Mohammad Talha Talkin Alam

Assistant Manager - IT at PDS Limited

Reliable network creation and management with an efficient setup process

My primary use case involves creating SSIDs and defining VLANs within the VLAN using Fortinet FortiWLM. I have been working with Wi-Fi access points for network connectivity I primarily use Fortinet FortiWLM for creating SSIDs and defining VLANs. While there isn't much focus on security, layer…

Read full review

Matilda Elwell

Technical Team Leader - Network &Security at STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Offers visibility and cost benefits

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.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The initial setup was quite easy. We have a very good relationship with our integrator and our integrator has a good relationship with Cisco. The integrator that installs Cisco is quite knowledgeable about the technology. They are trained and have a good relationship with their tech. We cannot be experts in each domain and we have to be supported by an integrator."

"Cisco Wireless is scalable."

"The LAN network conductivity is good."

"This is a very stable solution that solves complex issues."

"The tool's most valuable features are security, flexibility, user activity, and high bandwidth."

"Our environment has many devices constantly moving within our environment—approximately 3,000 devices daily, many of which change locations every 45 minutes. Therefore, the tool's seamless handoff is valuable for us. It's one of the reasons we have stayed with the product."

"The ability to make different types of networks, such as land networks, is the most valuable part of the solution."

"The ability to deploy wireless access points with templates."

More Cisco Wireless pros

"With Fortinet, there is a feature called Network-In-Control. It's the AP controller that decides what the clients are going to connect to... Even though your phone sees, let's say, two APs, since the wireless controller has visibility into and access across all the APs, it knows the best AP for the client to connect to. This way, the controller makes sure that none of the APs is over-crowded, and the spectrum is used properly."

"I use Fortinet FortiWLM for wireless communication and the internet."

"The security is a valuable feature."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the management."

"At the moment, particularly with the COVID-19 situation, the most valuable feature is probably the IPsec VPN, which is easy to implement with Fortinet."

"The most valuable features are the roaming profile, the mesh, and the performance."

"The setup was easy."

"Security is the feature we like most from Fortinet. In general, their security architecture is really great, because it involves everything: firewalls, wireless LANs, the user. Everything is really secure."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pros

"The AI integration with Marvis is very valuable."

"Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment."

"It prevents a large number of unauthorized modifications of access point devices."

"The Artificial Intelligence on offer is very useful."

"The installation process is nice and easy."

"It is a very stable solution."

"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."

"Juniper Wireless is reasonable, with a bit of complexity compared to Alibaba and SQL."

More Juniper WLC Series pros

Cons

"The main disadvantage of Cisco Wireless is its cost - it's expensive. Its interface is not easy. However, I like it since I am an engineer."

"There is a problem with the controller. When we have to restart the controller, it does not show the time. We have to manually configure the time when we restart it. I have read about this issue, to get some information, and all answers are about having to connect it with a time server, which is very difficult."

"The price should be reduced. It should be cheaper."

"Apple is definitely causing a lot of issues by turning on more security features on its equipment. It is causing more problems on the business side. One is what they call a randomized Mac address that Apple has put out. As far as I know, Cisco doesn't have a fix for that."

"One thing which we really don't like about Cisco is that it is very expensive."

"The new GUI interface and the newer version OS are a little bit more complex than the older version, however, it just might take some getting used to."

"The installation is very tiring and painful, the process could be easier."

"The product’s interface must be improved."

More Cisco Wireless cons

"Areas for improvement would be the compatibility with Apple products and cross-platform integration."

"One area that needs improvement is the configuration aspect, which is more challenging compared to other products, despite Fortinet FortiWLM being a popular brand in Sri Lanka."

"The roaming of Fortinet FortiWLM could improve when comparing it to other solutions. We are missing some of the functionality in the controller. Additionally, they should offer more logs instead of using FortiAnalyzer because all the users will not be using the same thing."

"Documentation could be improved."

"The pricing model can be improved to encourage use by small business and individuals and the hardware could stand to be redesigned."

"The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement."

"In terms of improvements, the price is higher than I would like. A reduction in pricing would be beneficial."

"Cost is something that could be improved, but you have to pay for what you get."

More Fortinet FortiWLM cons

"Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE."

"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 biggest issue was that Juniper stopped developing, so we had to look for another solution."

"Juniper WLC Series has certain shortcomings in traffic monitoring."

"In my region, access to the product is very difficult and presents a logistical nightmare."

"The solution could offer more integration with other products."

"The network coverage of Juniper WLC Series and Cisco is different. We need to add additional access points."

"We would prefer it if the solution could be less expensive."

More Juniper WLC Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There are no subscription fees."

"Cisco is more on the expensive side, as compared to Aruba, but I must say Cisco's quality is unmatched, for sure."

"The product could be priced better."

"The price of Cisco Wireless is expensive and there is an additional cost for support."

"The solution is very costly."

"The price of this product is reasonable."

"I rate the product price an eight on a scale of one to ten, where one is low price and ten is high price."

"From a pricing point of view, it's a little bit expensive compared to competitors like Aruba and others."

More Cisco Wireless pricing and cost advice

"Fortinet would do something with their pricing model to attract smaller business users and eliminate the mandatory service contracts."

"In the last few years, due in part to the impact of COVID on the market, Fortinet has increased its prices by 35 percent."

"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."

"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."

"To save yourself from increased setup and maintenance costs, I highly recommend undertaking a proper site survey from the beginning."

"Support contracts typically cost approximately $100.00 per year."

"The solution is expensive. I give the solution a one out of ten for the price."

"There is a perpetual license required for this solution and the price could be reduced."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pricing and cost advice

"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."

"The product is relatively affordable for enterprise companies."

"Juniper WLC Series is a bit pricey but worth its cost."

"The licensing cost is quite high, but considering it's an enterprise solution, the complexity justifies the price."

"The solution's pricing is reasonable."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

865,576 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Comparison Review

it_user212721

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…

Read full review

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

13%

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Manufacturing Company

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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 ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiWLM?

The security is a valuable feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?

Regarding functionality, a lower price for Fortinet FortiWLM would be better, but it's difficult. Regarding the integ...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?

I don't know about potential areas for improvement for Fortinet FortiWLM. Regarding functionality, a lower price for ...

See all answers

What do you like most about Juniper WLC Series?

Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment.

See all answers

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...

See all answers

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 r...

See all answers

Comparisons

Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 26% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 26% of the time

Fortinet FortiAP vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 8% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 8% of the time

Mist AI and Cloud vs Cisco Wireless

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Wireless Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 24% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 11% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 11% of the time

Cambium Networks Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 10% of the time

Omada Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 6% of the time

More Fortinet FortiWLM Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 29% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 27% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 5% of the time

More Juniper WLC Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Wireless

August 2025

Download Cisco Wireless product report

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM

August 2025

Download Fortinet FortiWLM product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

July 2025

Download Juniper WLC Series product report

Also Known As

Cisco WLAN Controller

FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN

Juniper WLAN

Overview

Cisco Wireless is a comprehensive suite of wireless solutions designed to deliver secure, high-performance connectivity for enterprises of all sizes. Offering a range of access points, controllers, and advanced management tools, Cisco Wireless ensures seamless and reliable network access, enhancing mobility and productivity.

Cisco Wireless solutions provide robust, scalable wireless networks capable of supporting high-density environments and diverse applications. With features such as seamless roaming, advanced security protocols, and detailed analytics, Cisco Wireless addresses the needs of modern businesses. The solutions include the Cisco Catalyst and Aironet series access points, wireless LAN controllers, and the Cisco DNA Center for centralized management and automation.

What are the key features of Cisco Wireless?

High-Density Performance: Optimized for environments with a high number of devices, ensuring reliable connectivity and performance.
Advanced Security: Incorporates robust security measures such as WPA3, Secure Boot, and segmentation to protect data and devices.
Seamless Roaming: Enables uninterrupted connectivity as users move across different areas within the network.
Centralized Management: Cisco DNA Center provides a single pane of glass for managing and automating wireless networks, enhancing operational efficiency.
Flexible Deployment Options: Supports various deployment models, including on-premises, cloud-managed, and hybrid solutions.

What benefits should users look for in reviews when evaluating Cisco Wireless?

Improved Mobility and Productivity: Users often highlight how Cisco Wireless enhances user mobility and productivity through reliable and consistent connectivity.
Scalability: Reviews frequently mention the scalability of Cisco Wireless, making it suitable for growing businesses.
Ease of Management: Many users appreciate the centralized management capabilities, which simplify network administration and troubleshooting.
Enhanced Security: The advanced security features are often noted for providing peace of mind and compliance with industry standards.
User Experience: The overall user experience, including ease of use and seamless integration with other Cisco products, is a common point of praise.

Cisco Wireless solutions are implemented across various industries, including healthcare, education, retail, and manufacturing. In healthcare, they support critical applications like patient monitoring and electronic health records. Educational institutions use Cisco Wireless to provide reliable internet access for students and staff. Retailers benefit from enhanced customer experiences through in-store connectivity, while manufacturers use wireless networks to improve operational efficiency and automation.

Pricing and licensing for Cisco Wireless solutions are typically based on the scale of deployment and specific product selections. Cisco offers various support plans, including 24/7 customer service, technical support, and access to software updates and patches.

In summary, Cisco Wireless provides robust, scalable wireless networking solutions that enhance connectivity, security, and management for diverse enterprise environments.

Cisco

Consolidate security and wireless LAN management with our integrated wireless solutions. Single-pane-of-glass management for security and access without the need to add point products simplifies deployment and reduces management complexity. These solutions are highly scalable to support even the largest organizations and distributed enterprises.

Fortinet

WLC Series Wireless LAN Controllers deliver and manage wireless local area networks with the highest level of reliability, performance, security, and management in the industry. They integrate secure, wireless LANs with any size wired infrastructures, from small branch offices to the largest enterprise or university campus.

Juniper

Sample Customers

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)

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

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 Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: July 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

865,576 professionals have used our research since 2012.