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Cisco Wireless vs Mist AI and Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Apr 20, 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 Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
3rd
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
153
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Mist AI and Cloud
Ranking in Wireless LAN
18th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.8
Number of Reviews
23
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Cisco Wireless is 11.0%, down from 14.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Mist AI and Cloud is 1.9%, down from 3.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

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.
RahulSivanandan - PeerSpot reviewer
Analytics and automation simplify wireless management and proactive troubleshooting
The analytics part of Mist AI and Cloud is really helpful, including correlation and event analysis. These features make Mist AI and Cloud stand out in the market. The automation capabilities are quite impressive, making it easy to manage and maintain. Mist AI and Cloud's orchestration is beneficial for troubleshooting and proactive analysis, offering proactive solutions before issues arise. Additionally, the platform is easy to deploy.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"This solution is highly stable. We have only had one issue in seven years."
"Wireless access has enabled users to be mobile and as a result, more productive."
"Cisco is one of the leading vendors and is at the top of many lists. The access software is robust, and the performance of the devices is excellent."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is reliability."
"Good manageability, and stability."
"The solution is easy to use and its stable."
"Overall, Cisco was stable and worked well for all our needs until we started having more and more students and teachers using YouTube and Zoom — what with classes being isolated and everything — which put a lot of strain on our Wi-Fi network."
"The installation process is very easy."
"It's really easy to provision and support. Those are its main features."
"Ability to control the access points by groups."
"Has an extremely good feature set."
"This solution helps customers save time and fix problems proactively."
"I have a very good experience with the solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Mist AI and Cloud is ideal as we move towards the AI world."
"The AI deployment process involves adding access points and placing them in the designated area. The AI system automatically adjusts channel selection and transmission power without any issues with stability or throughput. It has improved network performance."
"The cost is the most valuable aspect of this solution."
 

Cons

"The configuration interface could be easier. They should make roaming easier and should fix it so that when you cross a building you can keep the signal."
"The product could be improved with interference reduction. Because wireless frequency interferes with microwave or Bluetooth technologies, this causes issues. A lot of users still use legacy wireless adapters and black box and they do not experience the speed that they could get using the latest technologies. The number of devices on the market makes wireless communications complex. If the problem of interference could be resolved it would further improve utility and ease of system design."
"We use a Cisco product called Room Kit for meetings. It would be nice if Cisco could improve that. I would also like a cloud solution."
"It requires a few tweaks in order to stabilize it. Its portal is complex. Cisco solutions are complex in general."
"There are areas for improvement with Cisco Wireless, as well as with wireless technology in general. For instance, while Wi-Fi 6 offers significant advancements, some unresolved issues and quirks have delayed our migration to this standard."
"There needs to be an access point that is compact and more suitable for small and medium-sized businesses."
"They should introduce zero interference capabilities."
"Cisco Wireless does not have a dashboard that would make it easier for people to manage the solution, such as Cisco Meraki where you are able to monitor the network through the dashboard and everything is visible making it easier."
"The solution has various licensing policies. It will be easy to use if it is an open single license."
"The solution doesn't provide mail notifications currently."
"Mist AI and Cloud should be marketed more and focus on making partners in the industry."
"Sometimes it takes a lot of time for the access point to connect with the cloud."
"There could be more integration."
"There seems to be different versions of standards used in the wireless access points. In the future, it would be helpful if the solution could come up with some kind of universal standard for all devices and all access points."
"Mist AI and Cloud need to improve the configuration speed."
"Currently, the solution lacks the ability to configure with other solutions from other vendors."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The solution does not come with a licensing fee."
"Cisco is more on the expensive side, as compared to Aruba, but I must say Cisco's quality is unmatched, for sure."
"It's a bit expensive but it's professional and works properly."
"The solution is a little expensive compared to other brands."
"There are annual subscriptions to use this solution. I have not been able to understand the licensing of Cisco. Some of the Cisco executives were not able to understand them either. When you first start out the price is zero but when it comes to a time of renewal you have to pay."
"Its licensing is hard to understand."
"The pricing is okay. I believe it is competitively priced. But it is not just the price by itself, it's the price and the technical features. The features also play a big role. It has to give me the relevant output."
"I think that the solution is expensive because the customer has to pay for a full year, at a minimum, in up-front costs."
"The custom licensing is a little bit expensive and I would rate it 7.5 out of 10."
"Mist AI and Cloud is expensive."
"The price of this product is approximately the same as competing products in the market."
"The price is not cheap, but it's a reliable solution and very easy for management."
"Depending on the features, I think it's quite reasonably priced, especially considering the facilities of the product."
"The annual cost is a significant issue for us, and it notably contributes to the overall price. We have a customer with nearly fifty-eight access points in a multifunctional building, and while the setup was relatively simple, the yearly licensing cost is substantial. For the specific features we utilize, the licensing amounts to about forty thousand euros annually. This is not a trivial expense and significantly impacts the overall cost, making it quite high."
"The price is about the same compared to other vendors. There is an add-on license, but it's up to you if you want to buy it or not."
"The price of Mist AI and Cloud is approximately 20 percent less than competitors, such as Aruba and Cisco. However, Cisco has a lifetime warranty for its solutions."
report
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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…
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
17%
Educational Organization
15%
Financial Services Firm
7%
University
7%
 

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 be very reliable and to consistently run very efficiently. Cisco Wireless helpe...
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 friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...
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 hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...
What do you like most about Mist AI and Cloud?
AI-driven automation helps implement the solution quickly.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Mist AI and Cloud?
Compared with other solutions, Mist AI and Cloud is not that expensive and is considered moderate in pricing. The solution is priced per device.
What needs improvement with Mist AI and Cloud?
The support needs improvement. Since the merger or integration between Mist AI and Cloud and HP, it has affected service quality negatively. The reachability, access, and response time of the suppo...
 

Also Known As

Cisco WLAN Controller
Mist Access Points
 

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)
Dartmouth, Hitachi, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, Nebraska Furniture Mart, NTT, Okta
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Wireless vs. Mist AI and Cloud and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
861,390 professionals have used our research since 2012.