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Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access 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:
 

Categories and Ranking

Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secu...
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.7
Number of Reviews
48
Ranking in other categories
Ethernet Switches (6th)
Ruckus Wireless
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is designed for Ethernet Switches and holds a mindshare of 4.8%, down 6.0% compared to last year.
Ruckus Wireless, on the other hand, focuses on Wireless LAN, holds 14.1% mindshare, up 13.2% since last year.
Ethernet Switches
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

Uri Harf - PeerSpot reviewer
Integration with cloud management simplifies network expansion
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is expensive, and this initial cost can be a barrier, especially for new businesses setting up from scratch. Although the machine is robust and lasts for years with rare technical issues, the initial price can be high. Sometimes, I have to offer alternatives like Aruba or HP, which might be cheaper.
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 technical support has been very good."
"The most valuable feature is the breakability after integration with the FortiGate firewall."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the MAC feature."
"You can hook all the other components to be monitored. You can create policies and block certain people from accessing the Internet."
"It is a cheap and secure solution. The job switching and security features are better than other solutions."
"One of the most feature-packed switching solutions you can implement."
"Having a single dashboard to manage everything simplifies the process."
"The centralization of control is highly beneficial."
"Ruckus Wireless is more of a plain Wi-Fi solution where it does the basic job well. Additionally, it has good conductivity, easy to use, simple to manage, and its access points can be used as standalone devices which gives flexibility in the SMB market."
"The most valuable feature for me is reliability."
"I like the controller more informative and easier to set up."
"We used to struggle a lot doing the connectivity between the branch offices in port. Ruckus offers the flexibility to pull the connectivity and we can actually manage our workflow and application to this connectivity. It is a wonderful way of doing things fast."
"The most valuable feature of Ruckus Wireless is its AI capability, which automatically scales up and down the coverage areas."
"Our IT staff can quickly issue guest passes for vendors and the instructions are very straightforward, requiring very little effort to get connected."
"I am familiar with the brand and it works well."
"The mesh technology is the solution's most valuable aspect. Ruckus originally had the patent for it. They might've lost it because I see now that other people are doing it, however, they were the ones who came out with the smart mesh technology first, which is phenomenal."
 

Cons

"The solution has SD-WAN but it doesn't have SDN. This should be added."
"The product could use more security related features."
"I believe that stacking, a feature that is available in Huawei and Cisco, is not available in Fortinet products."
"I'd like to see more integration with different platforms."
"The solution doesn't support other switches."
"When we started using the solution, it was quite complex but then it became easier to use. It takes a while to get used to the interface."
"The security of the solution could be a bit better."
"The installation is not difficult. However, some features have to be activated from the CLI."
"Wi-Fi 6E and the cloud are areas with shortcomings in the solution that need improvement."
"An area for improvement in Ruckus Wireless is automating its guest WiFi access function. Currently, the product requires token generation, so it would be better if there's a portal for the guest to log in and get the password rather than the IT team needing to give passwords to guests."
"I suggest more controlling features on the controller. The menu of the performance must be improved, as well."
"I have not got any major problem using Ruckus, but the price and technical support could be better."
"The pricing needs to be more clear and licensing could be less expensive."
"Most customers revoke the idea of deploying it when they observe the cost per AP license."
"Mounting options for outdoor access points, I think they could easily improve on that."
"The Ruckus platform in general could be improved — it could be more user-friendly."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"The tool's pricing is fine."
"The product pricing seems to be mid-range."
"The cost appears to be high in comparison to other competing products although with this product you are paying for what you get."
"It's affordable compared to other switching products, like Cisco switches."
"The solution has reasonable pricing. The firewall costs around 500$ annually."
"Fortinet FortiSwitch is a pricey solution."
"The solution is cheaper than Cisco but more expensive than Huawei."
"It's a lot more expensive."
"We also looked at Cisco and Aruba but Ruckus pricing was better."
"I would rate their pricing 3 out of 5. There is no annual licensing cost."
"It's definitely a good value. It's more expensive than some of the other offerings out there, but when you compare it to other enterprise-class gear, it's very well priced. And the beauty of it is, because it has better range because of their patented BeamFlex - which is the way they can send and receive and listen to signals - you can actually use fewer access points. That means that it's a cheaper overall project."
"The only complaint I have about Ruckus is the price, but considering other enterprise WiFi products are similarly priced, I feel Ruckus is a superior product."
"It is a pricey solution."
"We paid for a three-year contract last year. I am not sure about what we paid. It is certainly less expensive than Meraki."
"Licensing is subscription-based."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Government
8%
Computer Software Company
13%
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 would you choose - Fortinet Fortiswitch secure access or Cisco Ethernet Switches?
We researched Cisco but ultimately chose Fortinet FortiSwitch Secure Access, mostly because of the price. Fortinet FortiSwitch is an ethernet switch solution that provides security and performance...
What do you like most about Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access?
The initial cost of Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access is high compared to other options. Although robust and rarely needs replacement, it can be overqualified for some jobs, which affects the re...
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What did we like about Ruckus? First, it was very easy to use, and anybody with minimal...
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 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 a great feature. The dashboard is a simple interface and easy to learn. It feat...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
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 Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ubiquiti Networks and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: July 2025.
861,524 professionals have used our research since 2012.