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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 (5th)
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 4.5%, down 5.9% compared to last year.
Ruckus Wireless, on the other hand, focuses on Wireless LAN, holds 14.0% mindshare, up 13.9% since last year.
Ethernet Switches Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access4.5%
Cisco Ethernet Switches12.4%
Aruba Switches9.4%
Other73.7%
Ethernet Switches
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ruckus Wireless14.0%
Aruba Wireless15.7%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN11.6%
Other58.7%
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 solution is easy to scale."
"One of the most feature-packed switching solutions you can implement."
"You can hook all the other components to be monitored. You can create policies and block certain people from accessing the Internet."
"The visual scope of the solution is very good. It allows me to see and download all of the network information."
"The centralization of control is highly beneficial."
"The solution has enhanced network security by integrating access control more seamlessly, reducing overhead, and simplifying the network environment by removing the need for interfaces with other vendors."
"The tool's setup was very easy."
"With FortiSwitch, you can easily identify who is connected to each port, disable ports as needed, and retrieve configurations from FortiGate when required."
"The solution provides superior coverage."
"In my experience, Ruckus devices are much more reliable than other vendors when it comes to consistency, coverage, and client density. Ruckus is very simple to configure and troubleshoot."
"The initial setup is pretty straightforward."
"The most valuable feature of Ruckus Wireless is its AI capability, which automatically scales up and down the coverage areas."
"Because of ​Zero-IT, it is easier to get people connected to the correct SSID without providing a passphrase​."
"It can work with high-density traffic, and its management system is also good."
"I find signal combining and team forming in Ruckus Wireless most valuable."
"Zero-handoff is one of the top features. The client balancing between the access points is good. Its security is also fine."
 

Cons

"Currently issues with some of the switches and problems with the firmware."
"FortiSwitch offers eight and 24-port models. They don't have a 16-port model, which can be an issue for some clients."
"It could be simpler but compared to the competition, it's not so bad."
"The pricing could be improved, and it could be easier to configure."
"We had experienced downtime. I would like to see it to be improved."
"The product's end-user protection feature needs improvement."
"The tool should improve its CLI."
"In the next release, I would like to see more outdoor products."
"They could add more flexibility for switching over to another radio if a radio is poor. I am not able to change the radios from 2.4 GHz to 5 GHz. I am yet to figure it out. I want it to be a bit more explicit or a bit easier to change radios. When you shut it down, you lose some of the information. It would be good to have a controller where I can store the information, and later on, I can retrieve the information. There should be some form of small storage to keep the information. Its price should also be improved. Its price is currently quite high."
"It could be more stable."
"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."
"The solution currently lacks the integration of security services."
"The solution is a bit expensive."
"Captive portal for guest access on the controller could be enhanced."
"Sometimes doing mass changes on their products can be challenging."
"Its pricing and licensing can be improved. Its UI can also be more user-friendly. Currently, in the Unleashed mode, the information that you have about the switches that you add to the controller is quite limited. I would like more information regarding switches. In this mode, an access point acts as a controller, so you don't need a controller. It is for deployments with less than 125 access points, and you can use an access point as a controller."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The product's pricing is good."
"Price-wise, I find Fortinet FortiSwitch - Secure Access to be an okay product. It is not an expensive product."
"The pricing for Fortinet FortiSwitch is not expensive."
"We have to pay for the solution's subscription."
"The price of the solution could improve, it is expensive."
"It's affordable and there are no additional costs, just regular support, and license fees."
"The pricing is quite high."
"The pricing is cheap and only a yearly licensing cost needs to be paid."
"It is not cheap, but it also doesn't carry the high price tag of some other products on the market."
"It is decently priced."
"We also looked at Cisco and Aruba but Ruckus pricing was better."
"We paid for a three-year contract last year. I am not sure about what we paid. It is certainly less expensive than Meraki."
"It depends on the client. You have an initial license cost that you need to buy to bind the access point with the controller. This is a one-time fee. You also have to pay the support fee that, if I remember correctly, is about $25 per access point. Its pricing and licensing can be improved."
"I would rate their pricing 3 out of 5. There is no annual licensing cost."
"The price of Ruckus Wireless is more expensive than other options."
"Ruckus Wireless is a cheaper solution than Cisco."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Government
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business37
Midsize Enterprise6
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business69
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise25
 

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, Netgear and others in Ethernet Switches. Updated: August 2025.
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