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Cisco Wireless vs Huawei Wireless vs Ruckus Wireless comparison

 

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:
 

Mindshare comparison

As of June 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Cisco Wireless is 11.2%, down from 14.6% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Wireless is 6.2%, up from 4.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ruckus Wireless is 14.1%, up from 13.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Q&A Highlights

SS
Feb 08, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

Theesula Majuwanagamage - PeerSpot reviewer
Bridging capabilities ensure network continuity and reliability in large-scale deployments
The most valuable feature of Cisco Wireless ( /products/cisco-wireless-reviews ) 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.
Shahnawaz Nusrat - PeerSpot reviewer
Effective and extensive campus Wi-Fi with room for better frequency management
We have deployed Huawei CCTV solutions at multiple universities in Pakistan. This includes Huawei Wireless for Smart Campus projects, where we provide blanket Wi-Fi coverage and Safe Campus projects, where we deploy security cameras and multiple devices to monitor the campus Huawei Wireless has…
Xander Janse Van Rensburg - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and high-performance wireless networking with exceptional stability, scalability, and robust feature set
One of the most valuable features I appreciate is auto channelization, facilitated by a proprietary product called ChannelFly. This feature enables APs in a specific zone to automatically adjust their channels, optimizing performance. Additionally, Ruckus Wireless stands out for its ability to reuse certain beams, resulting in smaller data spots. In my experience with various products, Ruckus Wireless consistently delivers unparalleled throughput, coverage, and reliability in wireless networking across different environments. As a noteworthy point, the newly launched WiFi 7 standard is measured against Ruckus's WiFi 7 AP, establishing it as the global benchmark. When it comes to WiFi, Ruckus sets the standard, outperforming competitors with its superior performance and capabilities.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The switches can even detect cable issues which quite often can be the main cause for a call-out within my business."
"It can provide support for real-time applications, such as VoIP and Video Conferencing over wireless infrastructure."
"Cisco Wireless is quite convenient for mobile and laptop access."
"Cisco Wireless is one of the more stable products so their products are scalable."
"Support is fantastic. They are helpful and responsive."
"It is tough, has a nice speed, and is quite reliable."
"The solution offers very good stability."
"The solution is scalable."
"I think it's a good technology. I like that it transparently connects with LDAP. The technology has a lot of capacity for WiFi six. It provides notifications, and there are many ways to connect with fiber. There is an electrical tool, and you can put an SFP transceiver. There are also many ways to implement antennas."
"It provides high-speed network connections."
"The most valuable thing about Huawei Wireless is that it is one of the cheapest WiFi 6 systems. Its price is very nice. The other WiFi systems cost about 15% more."
"Huawei Wireless's most valuable feature is smart antenna, a combination of informative capabilities and advanced technology."
"When opening the radio, we manage the frequency to handle overlapping effectively."
"It has all of the features that we need."
"That would be more of engineering at this point. I'm from more of the business side. It's pretty much doing the standard installations with portal integrations and integrations with the Mac."
"The most valuable features of Huawei Wireless are WiFi coverage and ease of use."
"All IPs can be managed and monitored by the customer from a single console."
"The setup is very straightforward."
"The product has some very awesome patents on their radios and their antennas and antenna patterns and how their signaling works. That's why nobody can touch them. If they go head to head with anybody."
"I haven't heard any complaints about the WiFi equipment at all causing problems."
"Zero-handoff is one of the top features. The client balancing between the access points is good. Its security is also fine."
"​BeamFlex works great in changing environments by bouncing WiFi signals around obstacles​."
"We rarely had access points fail in the field. They were rock solid, durable, and had the best signal penetration from any we tested.​"
"It has one of the smoothest operations."
 

Cons

"No product can be a ten out of ten and there are some security issues."
"It's expensive."
"The price could be better. The configuration is also complex. It would be better if there's an NEC solution. That's one of the things we really want to have. It should also be as fast as possible."
"The product could improve the security system's alertness to detect and respond to intrusions more effectively."
"We've recently had hardware issues which have caused us some problems."
"There are some features I would like to have in Cisco Wireless, such as Telemetry and other IoT. However, they are available in the new version of the solution."
"Most definitely the cost."
"I would like to see less dependency on other products such as ISE and Prime for certain implementations."
"I have encountered connectivity issues with the tool. I am not sure if it is due to Wi-Fi inference. I would like the solution to include some marketing analytics features like evaluation of user behavior."
"The demo program is an area for improvement in Huawei Wireless as it's hard to use. As a partner, you can use the solution for free, for thirty days, for example. On paper, everything looks fine, but you have to get permission and explain why you want to download the software, even if it's just for demo purposes. I don't get why I have to do this as a partner and still give an explanation that this would be for a demo setup. Downloading the solution isn't a click-and-install process that should go smoothly and efficiently. You have to get a lot of approvals and explain a lot, and in the end, you find out that you received the approval for one piece of software. It looks like you need additional software to use the software. My company asked for approval and received the approval three days later, but you need to install another software to use some of the features. In the past, most features were separate. Because Huawei wants a single pane of glass where all features should work with the Huawei equipment, Huawei decided to combine everything into the iMaster NCE Campus, which incorporates every other cloud solution. However, you still have to ask for approval for every piece of software, and without clear information on the features, the type of software, and the software files required, it's not so good from my point of view."
"The scalability could be a bit better."
"The security of the solution could be better in the future."
"This solution has issues with bugs and instability."
"The manageability of radio frequencies to avoid overlapping needs improvement."
"There was one time I had a problem with their centralized licensing. I called the Indian call center, but the response was not that good. One guy attended this call and he told me, "Definitely, I am forwarding your call to the next level. I'll let you know." After that, it took between 10 to 15 hours before I got a call back. By then, we had already resolved the issue. Therefore, they could improve the local support; there should be at very good Tier 1 and 2 support in India. They should be both proactive and reactive."
"Technical support could be better."
"In the last year, there's been a significant price jump, but I think Ruckus Wireless is still a good value for the money."
"Most customers revoke the idea of deploying it when they observe the cost per AP license."
"Previously, we would need to purchase appliances every time but it caused our data centers to get filled. Ruckus now has cloud-based controllers. They resolved the issue we were having."
"It could be cheaper."
"From my point of view, portal features are something missing in Ruckus Wireless. I want to see Ruckus Wireless integrate a Wi-Fi portal into its product. This would allow for easier user authentication for vendors."
"The cloud system from Ruckus is not mature enough just yet."
"The switching could be improved. The active component requires a data center. Cisco and HPE have a complete solution for data centers. Ruckus has a core solution, but the data center aspect needs to be improved."
"I would like to see this product made a little more economical because it's very expensive."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Cisco is more on the expensive side, as compared to Aruba, but I must say Cisco's quality is unmatched, for sure."
"Cisco licensing is usually provided on a yearly basis rather than monthly. You can get a hardware SLA or hardware and software SLA for a period of years. Longer terms influence the level of support that you get when it comes to Cisco SLA."
"The price of Cisco Wireless is expensive and there is an additional cost for support."
"I am not a fan of Cisco's software pricing model. Their management software is far too expensive."
"The platform is expensive for small-scale businesses."
"We opt for a one-time purchasing fee model in our setup. Since we don't utilize a management platform or WLAN controller, there are no recurring costs. The access points we typically use, which support Cisco's wireless masters, are priced at around $250 each. Occasionally, we purchase them in packs of five or as part of extended packs at a prorated cost."
"Expensive."
"This product's pricing is good. It's not too expensive."
"It is very cost-effective."
"It is not monthly. It is a kind of perpetual licensing. We pay once depending on the kind of services we need to deliver. There are no licensing fees."
"I rate Huawei Wireless' pricing a five out of ten."
"Huawei licenses can be for either a one-year up to a five-year period and also apply for the tiers."
"To compete effectively, Huawei might consider adjusting pricing to align more closely with other competitive brands, particularly those offering lower-cost solutions."
"Huawei Wireless is an expensive solution."
"The price of Huawei Wireless is reasonable. The licenses are active, and everything is working fine as per the license agreement."
"Right now, my company made a one-time purchase of Huawei Wireless. It depends, but in most of the projects where customers buy hardware with some software, it's a one-time purchase. Customers pay a yearly fee for other projects for support and additional software features, such as email protection firmware updates for cybersecurity. You'll also receive information about the latest attacks and get more protection if you pay an additional fee apart from the standard license fee. You'll also get an additional warranty for Huawei Wireless, a yearly contract."
"The price could be better. Normally, if you find customers paying for cost-effective wireless solutions, Ruckus devices are a little expensive compared to other vendors."
"It is reasonably priced. I would rate the price a three out of five."
"The setup that I have at the moment does not require licensing, although I am not sure whether a bigger project will mean that I have to spend more."
"With Ubiquiti, there's no annual cost to keep the software upgraded, whereas with Ruckus, you have to pay an annual fee or three-year fee. That makes it a little more pricey."
"Cost-wise, the product is priced above average, considering its competitors in the market."
"I would rate their pricing 3 out of 5. There is no annual licensing cost."
"It's a lot more expensive."
"This is a very expensive solution."
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Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
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

SS
Feb 8, 2021
Feb 8, 2021
All are good selections, and this question is difficult to answer without knowing your throughput requirements, as each vendor has multiple models within there series. Personally I recommend looking at Arista Networks’ cognitive Wifi, where controllers are a thing of the past.
2 out of 7 answers
AT
Feb 17, 2020
Hi, It is all dependent on the size of the controllers in question. Though I would suggest getting a cloud base technology so you are limited by any controller and have much better redundancy. Take a look at Arista Cognitive Wireless
IA
Feb 17, 2020
Hi, Every one of the mentioned solutions is good but you need to check the needs which are security since the firms you are working with need protection and tracking of data. For this reason, I recommend: - if you have FortiGate installed then go for Fortinet Wireless since they can be integrated with the Fortigate without buying a controller and they work perfectly together and you will get the advantage of applying rules to the client himself whether mobile or computer, easily managed & monitored, more visibility over your network and incident notifications. If the above doesn't apply then you can go with the best one that fits your budget and security needs which for me doesn't fall on the mentioned solution but to go with ARUBA Instant Access Wireless Solution and the reasons are as such: - Cisco is too much expensive and you got to pay smart support with some complexity in configuration and you need to buy a controller - Ruckus is good but when you want to have the security you need to buy a controller with licenses and it won't give you the security needed since it is just a wireless solution - Huawei is not a stable company since it had many ups and downs and they can reach with you to have all the solutions nearly free so that you install their brand. Whereas Aruba you don't need a controller in the Instant access points and you will get the minimum security with radius integration and what is important a lifetime warranty on the access points. In addition, if the number of access points increased and you want more detailed management and more advanced configurations, you can buy a controller either on-premises or on-cloud with Aruba. The above information is based on my experience with all the solutions and their POC. If you need any more details and consultancy, kindly feel free to contact me. Regards.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
11%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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...
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...
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 ...
Which wireless solution would you choose - Huawei or D-Link?
Huawei wireless is a strong and solid product that has a lot of features - and for all that it offers, it happens to ...
What do you like most about Huawei Wireless?
The reliability has had a positive impact on our operations.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Wireless?
For SMB customers with limited wireless users, Huawei Wireless may not be suitable due to the lack of multiple access...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What di...
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...
What do you like most about Ruckus Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless is an easy to manage solution.
 

Also Known As

Cisco WLAN Controller
Huawei WLAN
No data available
 

Overview

 

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)
Anhui Agricultural University (AAU), China Everbright Bank
American University of Sharjah, Baruch College, Centro Escolar Liceo Santo Tomšs, Chevalier College, Chico Unified School District, Colegio de Fomento El Prado, Columbia Public Schools, Delta School District, Dordt College, Douglas County School District, Drew University, Armonea, Central Utah Clinic, Grove Hill Medical Center, Inner South Community Health Service, Midwest Surgical, Satilla Regional Medical Center, Lyndoch Living, Polonus, Roaring Fork School District, Sonora State, Vivid, Sydney, Players Club, Sandals, Scandic Hotels, Sheraton LAX, Sunbird
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: June 2025.
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