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Fortinet FortiWLM vs Juniper WLC Series 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

Fortinet FortiWLM
Ranking in Wireless LAN
10th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Juniper WLC Series
Ranking in Wireless LAN
19th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
14
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of August 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 3.3%, up from 1.9% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper WLC Series is 1.5%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Fortinet FortiWLM3.3%
Juniper WLC Series1.5%
Other95.2%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

LuayHlaleh - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Team Lead at IT Solutions AE
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.
Matilda Elwell - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Team Leader - Network &Security at STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
Offers visibility and cost benefits
The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"Security is the feature we like most from Fortinet. In general, their security architecture is really great, because it involves everything: firewalls, wireless LANs, the user. Everything is really secure."
"The Access Points work with two radios (2.4GHz and 5GHz) and it was the best feature because some scanners are new with AC wireless support."
"Fortinet Wireless is a very good product, in terms of reliability and in terms of configuration also."
"The Fortinet product is intuitive, scalable, stable, and easy to manage."
"Once you install this solution, it just runs properly and gets the job done."
"The solution is stable."
"If you do have a FortiGate Firewall somewhere in the network, you can connect the wireless controller to that... You get 100 percent visibility from a single point... You can see everything that's connected to the FortiGate, whether it's a switch or a wireless AP or a wireless controller or any other Fortinet product."
"It is a very stable solution."
"Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment."
"It's easy to set up, and I feel it's very secure. I also prefer its reporting feature. The devices are quite good."
"It prevents a large number of unauthorized modifications of access point devices."
"It provides reliable and effective Wi-Fi to our clients and it is very scalable for high density installations."
"Allows end users to roam the office and be productive wireless without being plugged into an Ethernet cable."
"The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features."
"The Artificial Intelligence on offer is very useful."
 

Cons

"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."
"They have a business model where whatever you buy, you must make a service contract. But it seems a little bit like a moneymaking machine rather than a necessity."
"There is one thing that I find extremely strange, and this something that is unique to Fortinet, and it isn't a positive at all."
"Improving support and firmware upgrades is necessary. Firmware upgrades and bug improvements need to be tested well."
"When using the FortiGate as the wireless controller, you cannot have automatic user registration, which is something that they should offer."
"The guest management features need to be improved by adding automation."
"Areas for improvement would be the compatibility with Apple products and cross-platform integration."
"One of the main features that I see as lacking in any of the Fortinet products is the reporting."
"The network coverage of Juniper WLC Series and Cisco is different. We need to add additional access points."
"There could be a high level of security."
"In my region, access to the product is very difficult and presents a logistical nightmare. Also, pricing is a big problem and a barrier to entry when selling Juniper against competitors."
"There could be more information from the controller, and it could be easier to work with the controller lights. It's not easy to bring up the upgrades."
"The biggest issue was that Juniper stopped developing, so we had to look for another solution."
"The solution should create configuration documentation."
"WLCv was a product at the being of its evolution, so there was room for improvement there."
"Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."
"In the last few years, due in part to the impact of COVID on the market, Fortinet has increased its prices by 35 percent."
"Fortinet FortiWLM's pricing is regular and competitive."
"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."
"Support contracts typically cost approximately $100.00 per year."
"If a customer already is a FortiGate customer, the cost to go to the FortiAP is incredibly affordable, because you already have the controller."
"The solution is fairly priced."
"Fortinet would do something with their pricing model to attract smaller business users and eliminate the mandatory service contracts."
"Juniper WLC Series is a bit pricey but worth its cost."
"The product is relatively affordable for enterprise companies."
"The licensing cost is quite high, but considering it's an enterprise solution, the complexity justifies the price."
"There is a certain amount that needs to be paid towards the licensing charges associated with the product, but though I am not sure, I feel the licenses that we have in our company are for three years."
"The solution's pricing is reasonable."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
14%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Outsourcing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
Computer Software Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business7
Midsize Enterprise4
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?
I do not have knowledge about the pricing or the cost of Fortinet FortiWLM because the license is for the package of the firewall, FortiGate.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?
Overall, I find it useful, though I have concerns because after every update, some functionality is deleted or closed. For the moment, I don't have anything else in Fortinet FortiWLM that I would l...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLM?
I use this solution for the enterprise to segment the department.
What needs improvement with Juniper WLC Series?
Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE. There should be a network access control engine. Some customers find it challenging as they do no...
What is your primary use case for Juniper WLC Series?
I work with Juniper service provider solutions. I have a service provider customer and some enterprise customers in retail.
 

Also Known As

FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN
Juniper WLAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Apollo Hotel Papendrecht, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Bajaj Capital, Baloise Insurance, BAS Group, Borealis, Danish Crown, Deloitte Belgium, Jan Yperman Hospital, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, MercaSID, S.A., NHTV Breda University, Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary, San Antonio Community Hospital, Sandia National Laboratories, Springfield Public Schools (SPS), St. Catherine University, TalkTalk, The Education Village, University of Copenhagen, University of the Highlands and Islands, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Valdosta State University, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), zulily
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series and other solutions. Updated: August 2026.
909,099 professionals have used our research since 2012.