Ruckus Wireless Reviews

Ruckus has been deployed in our most demanding site, which has roughly 3400 associated clients per day. We are also leveraging Cloudpath to provide the WISPr guest portal with MAC authentication.

It should be noted that this site was previously serviced by another vendor. Due to the demands of wireless and the inability for the other vendor's deployment to meet our needs, we switched to Ruckus. It's been rock-solid since the implementation.

More recently we have moved our initial deployment to our elementary buildings. We have Ruckus implemented in about 25 sites currently.

The Ruckus solution was brought in to meet the higher than normal demands that we placed on our wireless network. After the minimal effort to get the system up and running, we've seen most if not all of our major wireless headaches disappear.

With the Cloudpath integration, our guest experience has been greatly improved. Our guests are now able to be self-sufficient in registering on our guest wireless network with a more streamlined and simple approach. The software was very easy to deploy and set up, which was a huge improvement over our previous solution.

Their Bonjour Gateway setup is also built into the product and has been helpful in bridging services from our wired network to our wireless network.

• Ease of management - the system is very easy to manage and learn.
• Cloudpath - this allows us to deploy captive portals that are advanced in nature to meet every need we can dream up.
• Hardware antenna array - this is the secret sauce to why Ruckus is above their competition. They built the antenna array from the ground up, allowing them to achieve higher rates for clients and a more solid connection.
• Bonjour gateway - built in Bonjour gateway to allow sharing services from one or two different VLANs.

Sometimes doing mass changes on their products can be challenging. Ruckus should spend more time developing methods to give enterprises more control over making needed changes quickly and easily. Their documentation also needs to be improved.

About four years.

In the past year, we've seen issues on their platform in regards to slow speeds if you use firmware later than December 2018. They are working through it, but it does give pause for concern. Their recommended vSZ is actually older, so we are pushing the limits with our versioning. 

No, their solutions are built with scalability in mind.

Customer service is by far one of the best outcomes of this product, I've been getting significantly better customer service than our previous vendor (Aruba).

We've had to engage both Ruckus and Cloudpath on a few things that have come up and the level of resolve they have shown is outstanding.

The previous solution was Aruba, but after many issues with the performance of their solution, we were forced to make a needed change.

• Clients would be kicked off randomly
• Slow wireless network
• APs would randomly reboot
• Complicated management
  

We attempted to leverage our existing ClearPass solution, but ran into issues with the integration in regards to MAC authentication. We ended up going with the Ruckus Cloudpath solution, which has been a blessing in disguise due to it being much easier to deploy.

We implemented this solution with in-house resources, as well as Ruckus itself, and a vendor. The Ruckus level of expertise was far greater than the vendor.

We haven't calculated it, but with this implementation it would be in the thousands (for just one building). Less wiring was needed (fewer AP locations), less hardware was needed, and less licensing was needed.

Ruckus was much cheaper than their enterprise competition (Aruba, Cisco, etc.). We've found that Ruckus can handle the client density load with greater success than Aruba, so leveraging Ruckus has allowed us to lower our purchasing needs since we would need to procure fewer APs. Cloudpath would be an added cost if you wanted to deploy that solution.

We did not evaluate other options as our previous experience using Ruckus was positive.

This solution is absolutely amazing! What they tout is very accurate and will work with your network/IT teams to develop a proven and well-catered solution to meet your every need.

I would highly recommend this product in high-density environments such as schools, universities, and hospitality settings. With the ease of setup, lower cost, and record of success, this is a slam dunk for schools that need to stretch their resources further.

I am a Ruckus reseller and this wireless product is one that we provide for our customers.

My customers are all in industrial environments, so I have worked with a lot of different controller-based models. I primarily handle warehouse management and manufacturing, so these are installed in big warehouses, the oil sector, solar-powered Wi-Fi, and other businesses.

Many of the wireless devices are by vendors like Honeywell and Zebra. They are handheld units and the network packet size is small.

The most valuable feature is the coverage, which is exceptional.

I feel that the vendor needs to have better control of who is selling the product online, especially when the reseller doesn't know anything about the product. It is frustrating when customers tell me that they have found it on Amazon for a cheaper price.

I would like to see newer on-premises controller-type models, similar to the 3000. 

We have been working with Ruckus Wireless for about nine years, since 2011. I have about 24 years of experience with wireless solutions in general.

I haven't had any issues with maintenance, long-term. They have never had any trouble holding up in the environment that they're in.

The scalability of Ruckus is excellent. I have some very, very large customers.

I have experience working with Cisco, Aruba, and other types of Wi-Fi that my customers have installed.

For somebody who knows what they're doing, the initial setup is very straightforward.

Sometimes, people take an easy approach to implementing the system, but it is not as efficient as it could be. Generally, I find that you can put it in the easy way or the right way, and you need to have a little more skill than just plugging it in to get it working efficiently.

My advice for anybody who is considering this solution is not to become obsessed with bandwidth or throughput. It is more important to look at coverage and roaming capabilities than simply the bandwidth. I find that when it comes to schools, people who are implementing wireless usually overdo it.

For me, this is the best wireless product on the market. Every customer where I have put it in to replace an existing system loves it.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

I am an independent contractor and I work to set up and maintain wireless network systems. Ruckus Wireless is one of the solutions that I rely on.

I am working with a small school that has a Ruckus wireless system in place to provide service for mobile devices. In that site, we have the main controller and six or seven access points.

The most valuable feature for me is reliability. It works. 

I have had trouble with signal strength and coverage in the school setting, which is in part due to the construction. I have an access point in the hallway and in every classroom.

Having support available that is more compatible with time zones in the United States would be helpful.

I have been using Ruckus wireless for about five years.

I haven't had any issues with the stability of the signal. It either makes the connection or it doesn't.

It is sometimes difficult to reach technical support when you need it. For example, recently I was able to get through to somebody rather quickly when I had to repair a wireless system that had gone down. At other times, it will be five or six hours before somebody returns my call. This can be a problem when I am already at a client site because I can't sit there and charge the client while I was for Ruckus to call me back. However, I have also had the same experience with Cisco.

Quality-wise, the person that I recently dealt with in regards to an RMA was outstanding.

The initial setup is pretty straightforward. Getting improved coverage is often just a matter of moving the devices around.

The school is at a point where they either have to expand their Ruckus system or instead replace it entirely with one from Cisco. However, given the money that they've got invested in Ruckess equipment, I don't know that replacing it is a prudent choice.

In summary, I think that Ruckus is a good product. I'm a fan and I recommend them.

I would rate this solution an eight out of ten.

My company sells wifi access points to enterprise customers. Customers need to manage the wifi controller separately. We are managing their Wifi router on their behalf. We provide internet connectivity through the router, the Wireless LAN.

The most valuable feature is that Ruckus offers better coverage.

Previously, we would need to purchase appliances every time but it caused our data centers to get filled. Ruckus now has cloud-based controllers. They resolved the issue we were having. 

We've been using Ruckus for around five years now.

We don't have any problems with scalability. We purchased 400 access points. We had 1,800 to 2,000 APs attached to it. 

We are in the process of procuring a new controller. Ruckus is fine for our solution.

Technical support is good. They resolved 100% of the issues we come to them with. We are satisfied with them.

We have to extend the access points and the controllers which was not a big issue to implement in this project. But when implementing the access points, the problem was when installing a new access point in a new location. Because we have to send a person to that place. And we have to put to the configuration on that access point and then needed to work with the controller. In the new Ruckus platform, we already accommodate using some kind of barcode reader, so that problem was resolved. 

Ruckus pricing is good compared to its competitors. 

I would rate Ruckus a nine out of ten. I would recommend it. 

Most customers are not using the wireless LAN as an extension of the wired LAN. So what they are looking for is some value-added service. They want wireless access with some kind of portal that can issue vouchers, like a value-added platform. 

I'm an analyst programmer and we're partners with Ruckus. 

The quality of the connection is the best feature, we always use wireless connections like Ruckus. It's also a very easy solution to manage. 

The captive portal for guest access on the controller is an additional detail that could be enhanced.

Currently the captive portal allows only choice of logo.

additional enhancement include : Different color schemes, customized html pages, pior login & post login pages, CP designs, Social media login, advertising, survey pages  , captive portal Configurator etc..

As such we get all in a box solution, no need for third party captive portal solution.

This solution is very stable. 

This solution is definitely scalable. 

My experience with technical support has been very good. 

The pricing is reasonable but it's a tough market and there's a lot of competition. 

I would recommend this solution. 

I would rate this solution a 10 out of 10. 

We are a system integrator and Ruckus Wireless is one of the products that we implement to assist our customers with providing Wi-Fi services.

Our customers are primarily in the hospitality industry, such as resorts. This solution allows them to provide Wi-Fi services to their staff and guests.

The most valuable features are the coverage and durability.

The best thing about Ruckus is support.

The training is very helpful and very good.

The user interface for the controller is straightforward.

The failure spots need to be improved, as sometimes I have trouble reaching them.

I would like to see better mapping capability because it can be really difficult, especially if you are deploying on a remote island.

We have been working with Ruckus for more than six years, and with the wireless solution for about four years.

We have had no issues with malfunctions or coverage with the access points. However, every two or three months we have periods with downtime because of internet outages or power outages on remote islands. While this is a break in service, it is not caused by a failure on the part of Ruckus.

Scaling this product is pretty straightforward. On one of the island resorts that we deployed on, they have 120 villas in addition to the staff accommodations. In total, there are more than a thousand people in the resort.

In addition to the resort, we supply wireless coverage to the rest of the island. This brings the total number of users to more than 3,000.

Technical support from Ruckus is very good. We don't have to contact them very often because there are no major issues with the access points. When we last contacted them, they responded and resolved our issue within 12 hours.

I have experience with similar solutions from different vendors, such as Aruba. In particular with Aruba, I have had huge problems with coverage. We have had other difficulties with their solutions, as well. With Ruckus, on the other hand, it is a really robust technology and the coverage it provides is helpful during deployment. In general, it is a much better solution than Aruba.

For me, the initial setup is really straightforward. Some people, however, find it a little bit tough. The controller is a little bit difficult to work with until you have some experience.

Our in-house team handles implementation and deployment for our customers, as well as the maintenance.

For the physical installation, including pulling cables and termination, we use two people. This is more than enough for 300 access points. For the initial setup and configuration, we have another two people, bringing the total size of the deployment team to four people.

As an example, for one resort island, the total deployment took about two months. The installation and configuration can be completed within one night, once all of the hardware is in place.

My advice for anybody who is considering this solution is that it is a good product, with good support, it is easy to set up, and the coverage is good. In a small to medium-sized business, you may not even need training to set up the controller.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

We are a solution provider and Ruckus Wireless is one of the products that we implement for our clients. We have clients in the banking sector, hospitality, education, and many others. 

The most valuable feature is BeamFlex, which enhances the coverage and stability of the signal for our customers. 

This solution is easy to use and you need minimal IT experience to work with it.

The cloud solution is not mature and needs to be improved.

The pricing of the high-end access points should be lowered to make them more competitive.

In the next release of this solution, I would like to see a more detailed spectrum analysis.

We have been using Ruckus Wireless since 2012.

This is a very stable product. When I install it, I do almost zero troubleshooting for a year or more, especially with hospitality. My hospitality customers are really very satisfied because I just install it and forget it.

Once it is set up, it needs minimum maintenance and support.

There are no scalability issues at all.

The technical support team is really helpful and we are satisfied with them. Whenever there is an issue with the hardware, they ship it the following day.

I have never faced any issue with technical support, although if the problem is not critical then it takes some time to respond to it. The manner in which they deal with critical issues is fine.

The initial setup is straightforward and it's not a complex solution at all. It is almost plug-and-play. For the Ruckus Unleashed solution, the deployment depends on the topology but it should take about 15 minutes to complete.

When the system is purchased there are no hidden fees because the license opens all of the features on the controller.

Ruckus Wireless is a good solution and one that I highly recommend.

I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.

Our primary use case for this solution is in a higher education institution.

Ruckus has allowed us to deploy better Wi-Fi coverage in the past few years. Our students have had a better user experience.

The most valuable feature is the Wi-Fi coverage that it has offered since early in our project.

One complaint that we have is the lack of cloud-based management. Due to the price of a controller, renewing the solution had become expensive.