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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
15th
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 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 Mist AI and Cloud is 2.1%, down from 3.3% 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

"We've found the technical support to be helpful and responsive."
"Identity PSK helps save SSIDs."
"The most valuable features of this solution are the Cisco CleanAir and Cisco RRM."
"Cisco Wireless gave us the ability to deploy and seamlessly manage wireless devices at our corporate office and remote locations."
"The capacity, security, downloading, and exporting data are all very good. It's user-friendly, but if I look at Meraki versus normal Cisco equipment, then I think that Meraki will be much more user-friendly."
"Cisco Wireless is easy to configure."
"The solution offers very good application visibility and control integration for other analysis software."
"One of the most valuable features we have found is security"
"I have a very good experience with the solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Multi PSK (Pre-shared Key) is a very good feature in the solution...Stability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Mist AI and Cloud is the best solution I have seen in the industry, especially from the artificial intelligence perspective, as it helps businesses."
"The tool's best part is the GUI. It is user-friendly and fast due to AI features. The solution can help you fix things with AI, which is impressive."
"The most valuable aspect is that they operate on small microservices, offering numerous open APIs that enhance the value of our Wi-Fi network. This flexibility allows us to optimize various aspects such as workforce planning and occupancy management. The platform is highly open in the market, providing robust APIs for seamless integration with other tools. Currently, we leverage these capabilities at a building site, incorporating IoT sensors to gather data. The collected data is stored in a centralized location, and we plan to use AI for analysis. This analysis will include insights on peak activity times, humidity levels, temperature variations, and other relevant metrics within the building."
"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."
"Regarding features, the solution seems to be very intuitive."
"The Marvis feature of Mist AI, an artificial intelligence tool, is very useful."
 

Cons

"Many wireless controllers' firmware have bugs in their new releases, which are not stable, especially in an environment with many wireless AP (WAP) types."
"I wouldn't mind if Cisco allowed their premiere devices to be able to have that cloud-based support as well, or cloud-based management."
"One thing which we really don't like about Cisco is that it is very expensive."
"The technical support could be better. They aren't as helpful as they need to be when we run into issues."
"The new licensing has no added value and seems to be Cisco's effort to take advantage of customers."
"Code stability is something that needs to be improved."
"The pricing of Brazil is very expensive. When you look at other options, they are much cheaper."
"It would be better if some utility lets us know the best place to install the system. Every time we install it, we have to change it, and we have to add more access points. This is a problem we have all the time. It would be better if it integrated seamlessly with products from other vendors. It'll also help if they included a device diagnostics feature in the next release."
"Mist AI and Cloud should be marketed more and focus on making partners in the industry."
"The solution lacks documentation."
"If there's one thing I'd like to change, it's the pricing. They are quite expensive, but honestly, it's justified by the value they provide. However, for a simple Wi-Fi connectivity with basic security needs, there are alternatives in the market that offer comparable features at a more budget-friendly price."
"Regarding opportunities for improvement in Mist, it is notable for its robust cloud portal and integration of artificial intelligence into various services, creating a highly efficient environment for work. However, a drawback lies in the cost associated with its WiFi offerings. With a pricing range of twelve hundred to fifteen hundred dollars for a single Access Point, exclusive of the subscription, it is acknowledged as a relatively expensive solution in the realm of WiFi services. Despite this drawback, the positive attributes of Mist make it a noteworthy option."
"The inter-functionality with other vendors was a negative for us."
"The solution doesn't provide mail notifications currently."
"The support needs improvement. Since the merger or integration between Mist AI and Cloud and HP, it has affected service quality negatively."
"It would be beneficial to have support for the Chinese language."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Its licensing is not simple. There are additional license costs for features, which is frustrating for us. There are some features that are included for free in the base Aruba product, but they are available at additional costs in this solution."
"It is an expensive solution."
"The price is a little high. However, you get what you pay for. The quality of the product is high, you will find it is worth the money. There is some additional cost, for example, customer support."
"I rate the tool's pricing a nine out of ten."
"Cost is one of the reasons why we are switching to Aruba. Aruba is significantly lower than Cisco in price. We do the licensing on a three-year basis. Cisco makes licensing very difficult."
"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."
"The price for this product is a little bit high, which is why I am not using the most recent version."
"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."
"The solution's price is too high for the end-users. My customers pay 1,000 USD towards the licensing cost of the solution every year."
"Mist AI and Cloud is expensive."
"The solution is expensive in Brazil."
"The custom licensing is a little bit expensive and I would rate it 7.5 out of 10."
"The price is not cheap, but it's a reliable solution and very easy for management."
"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."
"I rate the pricing a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is low and ten is high."
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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%
Educational Organization
23%
Computer Software Company
16%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Retailer
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 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.
856,873 professionals have used our research since 2012.