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D-Link Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

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

D-Link Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
13th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiWLM
Ranking in Wireless LAN
12th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.3
Number of Reviews
29
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of D-Link Wireless is 2.1%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 2.4%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiWLM2.4%
D-Link Wireless2.1%
Other95.5%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

NadirShahzad - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Wireless projects run smoothly with more access point support and competitive pricing
D-Link Wireless offers more supported APs to the WLC with the default license compared to other brands like Cisco. With Cisco, only four to five APs are connected with the default license, but D-Link Wireless provides more flexibility. Local support in Pakistan is necessary for those with limited budgets, creating a reach in the market.
LuayHlaleh - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak
Offers robust network management with cost considerations for large deployments
Large enterprises typically invest in FortiAnalyzer, though our company and SMB clients don't require this analysis tool. We use Ekahau for floor planning and Wi-Fi coverage analysis rather than Fortinet FortiWLM's built-in features. Ekahau helps us perform site surveys and plan access point placement. Fortinet FortiWLM is a flexible and common solution in Dubai. It's one of the best-selling products, with Etisalat, the largest ISP, installing Fortinet FortiGate for approximately 70-80% of their clients. The solution offers different series to accommodate various needs. The triple radio model costs around $1,000 (3,500 dirham) and supports 40-50 connected devices. The 231F model suits smaller deployments of 20-25 devices. I rate Fortinet FortiWLM a seven out of ten. While it's an excellent solution, Cisco remains the market leader.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The system simplifies network management."
"The connectivity is good."
"It's scalable, user friendly, and easy to manage."
"The tool supports new technologies."
"The setup process is very easy."
"This product is user-friendly and we can manage it as per the requirements of the user."
"Overall, I rate D-Link Wireless nine out of ten as a solution."
"I like the product's signal continuity and range. We can receive the signal up to 20-30 meters from the wireless antenna."
"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 product is a stable solution."
"Seamless roaming by leveraging Virtual Cell is a major advantage which reduces roam times and issues related to roaming. Code stability has been excellent and the hardware quality is second to none."
"The greatest advantage is the security fabric Fortinet offers."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the management."
"I have not faced any issues with stability or downtime."
"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLM is the single management pane and integrated controller inside the firewall."
"Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten."
 

Cons

"It would definitely help if we had more advanced features for distributing bandwidth."
"Its interface and support system need much improvement. Sometimes, when we use the interface to reset the password and configure SSIDs, or some other changes, the "Save" option does not show and we have to go to some internal setting and then we can "save" the setting. The “Save” option should be in front of or below of the settings."
"D-Link Wireless should include the 'cleaner' feature similar to Cisco's APs. This feature reduces signal interference with access points."
"In future releases, it can keep improving on countering the new patterns of security attacks."
"In future, it would also be good to have a switch within D Link that works as well as the Cisco 9200 Switch."
"The performance offered by D-Link Wireless can be a bit problematic at times, owing to which it is an area that can be considered for improvement."
"D-Link has some catching up to do in terms of advancing and improving its technology."
"Sometimes we configure the SSID with a password but the same AP shows two WiFi connections with the same SSID name (one is protected by a password and another one give access without a password)."
"Improving support and firmware upgrades is necessary. Firmware upgrades and bug improvements need to be tested well."
"Technical support is very poor. We are not satisfied with the technical support because there is not any direct person from Fortinet for any troubleshooting, which we expected."
"Licensing is the only area that I think they are below average. They need enterprise licensing, an all-encompassing license to cover all products for a company."
"The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement."
"I have used Cisco previously and I don't see any specific differences from Fortinet FortiWLM or other vendors."
"The solution should improve user capacity."
"The interface could certainly do with some improvement. We have other customers with WiFi networks, and they always use Ubiquiti. With Ubiquiti, it's a much better user interface, and it is much easier to configure."
"They need to do more with their marketing. That's what's wrong with them. Nobody knows they do all this other stuff. I love the product. For an enterprise-level system, you never have to explain why you're recommending Fortinet, whereas you might have to do that if you want to use the Ubiquiti Professional or the new Netgear line, but you don't have to explain Fortinet. It has been remarkable to work with."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"D-Link Wireless' price is the same as Aruba's. You need to pay one-time costs for the product."
"On a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap and ten is very expensive, I rate the pricing an eight out of ten."
"D-Link Wireless is cheaper than Ruckus or Cisco."
"D-Link pricing is very competitive when you consider other OEMs."
"The product is affordable."
"This solution is more affordable than others on the market."
"There is no licensing fee for the solution."
"The cost can range from $100 to $400."
"There is a perpetual license required for this solution and the price could be reduced."
"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."
"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."
"If a customer already is a FortiGate customer, the cost to go to the FortiAP is incredibly affordable, because you already have the controller."
"Fortinet would do something with their pricing model to attract smaller business users and eliminate the mandatory service contracts."
"To save yourself from increased setup and maintenance costs, I highly recommend undertaking a proper site survey from the beginning."
"Licensing costs are reasonable. There are so many different types of licenses with Fortinet, but the licensing and the 24/7/365 support are so reasonable that I automatically include it with every transaction. I never line item it without it. There are no additional costs."
"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
13%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Educational Organization
10%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Computer Software Company
10%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Healthcare Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise2
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise3
Large Enterprise5
 

Questions from the Community

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 be very cost effective. As a wireless solution, it is simple and its user interf...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Wireless?
D-Link Wireless is notably more affordable than Cisco and Juniper. It suits SMB needs without the financial burden of purchasing additional licenses for extended APs.
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 integration with other vendors, we try to buy only products from a single vendor to a...
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?
The price could be reduced by 20%. In Dubai, UniFi costs 700 dirham for the UniFi Pro 7th generation. For Fortinet FortiWLM, a similar model would cost around 1,300 dirham. If this price was reduce...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLM?
Our customers' main use cases for Fortinet FortiWLM come from three classes. We have clients that pay attention to the cost, and we have customers that pay attention to security, such as in the DIF...
 

Also Known As

D-Link WLAN
FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Metropolitan Public Defender, Mission Motorcycles
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about D-Link Wireless vs. Fortinet FortiWLM and other solutions. Updated: December 2025.
879,422 professionals have used our research since 2012.