CEO at Baconmill
Real User
Top 20
Set up and forget, suitable for high-density environments and offers good stability
Pros and Cons
  • "One of the biggest features of Ruckus Wireless is its BeamFlex+ technology."
  • "From my point of view, portal features are something missing in Ruckus Wireless. I want to see Ruckus Wireless integrate a Wi-Fi portal into its product. This would allow for easier user authentication for vendors."

What is our primary use case?

Ruckus Wireless is used in high-density environments, such as theaters, meeting rooms, and city centers where there is a lot of interference from other wireless networks.

What is most valuable?

One of the biggest features of Ruckus Wireless is its BeamFlex+ technology.

It's a potential technology only available through Ruckus wireless access points. This technology permits to follow each user during its Wi-Fi experience, which is awesome.

What needs improvement?

The pricing is the biggest issue with Ruckus wireless. It's so expensive, but Ruckus are just the best. 

So, from my point of view, portal features are something missing in Ruckus Wireless. I want to see Ruckus Wireless integrate a Wi-Fi portal into its product. This would allow for easier user authentication for vendors.

For how long have I used the solution?

We are a vendor or reseller of Ruckus Wireless, and we deploy it across different customers.

I have been working with Ruckus Wireless for 15 years. I deal with the latest version of Ruckus Wireless.

Buyer's Guide
Ruckus Wireless
March 2024
Learn what your peers think about Ruckus Wireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.

What do I think about the stability of the solution?

I would rate the stability a ten out of ten. 

What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

We have more than 100 customers currently using Ruckus Wireless in our business area. So, I would rate the scalability a ten out of ten. 

It is a very scalable product. 

How are customer service and support?

The customer service and support ask too much. The product on it says it's already really expensive. And if you want premium support, then it's, again, more money, and then it becomes really too hard.

How would you rate customer service and support?

Neutral

Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

I worked with Ubiquiti and Aruba. We have replaced Ubiquiti with TP-Link. So if we need a cheap solution, then we'll go rather to TP-Link than to Ubiquiti.

How was the initial setup?

There are no difficulties with installing Ruckus Wireless. However, you have to be certified to install Ruckus wireless equipment. 

So, today, there's a key version of Ruckus wireless, which is called the unleashed version, where you have no controller, but you miss lots of features when you do that, so we never use it.

Ruckus Wireless is both an on-premises and cloud-based solution. The antennas are always on-premises, but the management can be done in the cloud.

The time it takes to deploy Ruckus Wireless depends on the complexity of the infrastructure. For a small deployment, it can take about 30 minutes per device.

But it surely depends on the complexities and experience of the person. When you use the cloud controller, it's really a job for an expert, not for the novices.

What about the implementation team?

I'm a technician with extensive experience in Ruckus Wireless. Our implementation strategy for Ruckus Wireless is the same as for any other product. 

What was our ROI?

There is an ROI because it's really set up and forget. It just does its job. It saves a lot of time. It is a reliable solution. 

What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

There are extra expenses in addition to standard licensing.

What other advice do I have?

I would recommend using this solution for professional use. And if it's just like amateurs, people who don't have experience with it, so they might face some difficulties.

That's a question of connection density. So if you want to deliver Wi-Fi to more than a hundred people in a small room, then you do it with Ruckus, or you don't.

Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten. 

Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
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PeerSpot user
Director General at INNOVAR IT SAS
Reseller
Eases wireless integration with existing networks and supports many devices
Pros and Cons
  • "For me, the most valuable features are good integration with the customer's existing network and the ease of deployment and configuration. Ruckus products are also easy to learn to manage and deploy for not only our own staff, but also for the IT workers in the customer's organization."
  • "Ruckus products, overall, have a wide range of useful features, however not all customers have the budget to buy a corporate Wi-Fi solution. Most of the time, it's far too expensive for our clients to consider going with Ruckus, and they might like to see cheaper solutions in the Ruckus range."

What is our primary use case?

We have two customers where we implemented on-premises solutions with Ruckus Wireless, making use of Ruckus Unleashed and access point models R510, R610, and R320. 

Our one customer is a small-medium business and they have 50 to 100 employees, and the most recent solution that we implemented was for a government client where we installed 17 access points.

How has it helped my organization?

In the years that we have worked with Ruckus, we have found it to be a very comfortable solution for both my own company and our customers. Ruckus enables us to give organizations better wireless access to their network, and can support many devices.

With Ruckus, alongside some Aruba products, we are able to more easily solve communication problems in the companies we work with.

What is most valuable?

For me, the most valuable features are good integration with the customer's existing network and the ease of deployment and configuration. Ruckus products are also easy to learn to manage and deploy for not only our own staff, but also for the IT workers in the customer's organization.

    What needs improvement?

    Ruckus products, overall, have a wide range of useful features, however not all customers have the budget to buy a corporate Wi-Fi solution. Most of the time, it's far too expensive for our clients to consider going with Ruckus, and they might like to see cheaper solutions in the Ruckus range.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Ruckus Wireless for five years now.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Ruckus products are very, very stable. We have clients that can go one or two years with no issues at all, and with other clients we tend to see only minor issues with the wireless network.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Up until 25 access points, things are very simple. When you get to more than 25 access points, you need a controller and it is sometimes an issue for clients because they generally don't want to spend more buying the controller. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    The support from Ruckus Wireless is acceptable. When we open a support case, they normally respond in a short amount of time.

    How was the initial setup?

    The setup is easy. 

    What about the implementation team?

    Our implementation process is very quick, and it normally takes only one or two days. It's especially quick to implement when we already have all the equipment and cabling ready to connect and configure on the customer's premises.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Not all of our clients can afford a fully corporate solution like Ruckus. But for many of our clients, pricing is the only factor that prevents them from choosing Ruckus, as we have found Ruckus to be a very suitable and reliable solution for integrating wireless access points to a company's network.

    Which other solutions did I evaluate?

    Normally, here in Medellín, Columbia where we work, the clients consider Ubiquiti or TP-Link first because they're cheaper. 

    What other advice do I have?

    Ruckus incorporates the latest technology in their products and they are indeed very fast performance-wise.

    I would rate Ruckus Wireless a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Reseller
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
    Ruckus Wireless
    March 2024
    Learn what your peers think about Ruckus Wireless. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: March 2024.
    765,234 professionals have used our research since 2012.
    Director Of Technical Operations at GT Church
    Real User
    Provides good roaming capabilities and the option to have redundant backup controllers
    Pros and Cons
    • "Its roaming capabilities and the fact that we can have redundant backup controllers are the most valuable. There is a backup controller that is heart beated to the primary. It is also fairly easy to install."
    • "Its interface could be a little bit more user friendly."

    What is our primary use case?

    We are a big church, so we have to cover a 100,000 square foot building plus another 3,000 square foot building. We have Ruckus Wireless in two locations. We are on Zone Director 1200.

    Our other office is running over a VPN, so it keeps connected to the Zone Director via VPN for any information that is needed, but it still works. The nice part is that they work on the internet connection that is local to the office that they are in. They work independently. Nothing comes through the controller. They just use the controller to authenticate and know what is going on with the unit.

    What is most valuable?

    Its roaming capabilities and the fact that we can have redundant backup controllers are the most valuable. There is a backup controller that is heart beated to the primary. It is also fairly easy to install.

    What needs improvement?

    Its interface could be a little bit more user friendly.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Ruckus Wireless for six or seven years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Its stability has been acceptable.

    How are customer service and technical support?

    I have contacted them. So far, so good. There are no major issues with them. They have been pretty responsive.

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We used SonicPoint, which is with SonicWall. The only reason for switching was that it wasn't their main thing. They were more of a firewall, and they had it as a secondary thing. We needed something that was much more robust with more capabilities per access point. We have 250 or more people on an access point.

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup was easy.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    We paid for a three-year contract last year. I am not sure about what we paid. It is certainly less expensive than Meraki.

    What other advice do I have?

    I would advise looking at the cloud version. If we had not renewed our licensing for the standalone, we would probably look at going with the cloud solution because it is easy to support.

    I would rate Ruckus Wireless an eight out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Solutions Architect at Golden West Technologies
    Real User
    Great performance, easy to set up and simple to configure
    Pros and Cons
    • "The product has some very awesome patents on their radios and their antennas and antenna patterns and how their signaling works. That's why nobody can touch them. If they go head to head with anybody."
    • "The cost could be slightly improved. It's not on the low end, and it's not in the high end. It's in that middle area, which can be a deciding factor between someone going with this solution versus another one."

    What is our primary use case?

    We primarily use the solution for its performance, compatibility, and general capabilities. We do a lot of schools, colleges, large civic centers, large arenas, etc. That kind of stuff. We know how to deploy this so that the clients get great client connectivity.

    How has it helped my organization?

    In terms of COVID, we've deployed external access points to the outside of a lot of the buildings. These are very weather-resistant, all-metal enclosures. The students have been able to do assignments and schoolwork and that kind of stuff from the parking lots of the schools. They can drive up in their car, get their assignments, or do work that they need to while they're connected to the school. It made social distancing in this way pretty seamless as everything was already set up on their laptops. Most of the schools are what they call the one-to-one initiative, where every student gets a laptop and they've been able to work through COVID from their cars in parking lots when they needed to be at the school for something. It's really benefited a lot of the schools to be able to do that.

    What is most valuable?

    The performance of the product is amazing.

    The ease of configuration that's on offer is very good.

    The product is very compatible with other solutions.

    The guest onboarding is so simple. We can onboard guests really easily. Each guest that connects has a pre-shared key that they get which are all unique. We have some great control over the guest and corporate traffic. We can control how much bandwidth a guest user gets versus a corporate user, and who gets priority on there. 

    Ruckus is way ahead of the game on a lot of stuff like Wi-Fi 6. They're already rolling out the second version of Wi-Fi 6, which is a huge improvement over even Wi-Fi 5. The way wireless started is you had 802.11b, 802.11a, then 802.11g and 802.11n, then 802.11ac, then AC wave to 802.11ax which is the first version of Wi-Fi 6. The next version of Wi-Fi 6 is rolling out already.

    The product has some very awesome patents on their radios and their antennas and antenna patterns and how their signaling works. That's why nobody can touch them. If they go head to head with anybody. They blow Cisco and Aruba out of the water and even Mist for radio plant connectivity. On top of that, they have very good engineering. If I ever need help with engineering stuff, I can call on them. The company does a really good job, which is why we've stayed with them.

    What needs improvement?

    They're leaders in what they're doing. I don't know what they can do to improve what they're doing currently. 

    The cost could be slightly improved. It's not on the low end, and it's not in the high end. It's in that middle area, which can be a deciding factor between someone going with this solution versus another one.

    They've got a rotation or a life expectancy of about four years for the radio. Not that radio is going to die right hten. I've got some that are way older than that, that the customers are still using. However, they take them and they end the life of them at four years. Any of their wireless products are end of life by year four. Most of it's because technology has changed so much that those old videos can't do stuff that is now available for PCs to connect or phones to connect to that kind of stuff. 

    What they do is they force you into a Cloud controller. We've got a couple of them. If I've got a Cloud controller there and it's on version 5.1, and I want to go to version 5.2, bdue to the fact that I need to support the new radios coming out, I can't if I have some older radios on that controller. I can't upgrade that controller to the latest software to support the new radios as I've got some end of life radios on there that go into life when I upgrade the software. They need to be able to allow us to keep some of the older products on the Cloud controllers or any of their controllers longer, and just start supporting the new controllers. They force you into an upgrade unnecessarily.

    We have some customers that have just a few APs. There are some small businesses that don't want to, or don't need to upgrade their controllers and they're crushing their access points. For us to be able to work with the latest access points, we've got to upgrade our controller, however, we can't. That bites us every year. We'll have customers that have APs that are going end of life that still work fine, but we can't manage them anymore.

    I know the reasoning behind it is it could be security features or it's something that the access points don't support that newer devices do. They'll support this new Wi-Fi 6 coming out, however, I can't run the same types of radios on this particular controller software anymore. That kind of puts me off a little bit, however, that's the only thing that the company has done that's made me mad.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using the solution for the past six years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The stability of the product is rock solid. We haven't had any issues at all.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is extremely scalable. I can have up to three controllers with each one housing 10,000 APS. I can have a cluster of controllers controlling 30,000 different APS. I don't have anything that big. One is close to a thousand and that's the biggest I have. Still, it's nice to be able to build in more redundancy. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    As a Ruckus partner, I've got access to Ruckus. I've got access to tech support, and it makes things a lot easier for the end-users and businesses I work with. If they have an issue, they can come directly to me or they can go directly to Ruckus, it doesn't matter. I'll be happy to help them. If I can't answer the question or get them fixed, then we'll get with tech support. I don't call tech support very often. Maybe once a year, if that. They make a good product and offer good training. Once you learn it, it's pretty easy to manage. 

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    We used to have Cisco's products for one or two years. I don't know the last time I had to turn in an RMA for a Ruckus radio. They're a solid product.

    How was the initial setup?

    I've been doing implementations for a long time. If it's brand new to the system, like any system, it can be fairly complex. However, they have great documentation on their website on how to set it up. If a client needs complexity, however, they need help. That's where I come in.

    I can go in and configure things securely for guest access and BYOB devices and corporate laptops with 802.1X. I have a stand-alone AP, I just got one office with one AP. I don't need it to be controlled by anything. If I've got one or two SSID, it can still be configured. It's just that you're doing it on the AP or, alternatively, they have what's called Unleashed, which is controller-less. The AP is the controller that can do up to 50 APs all controlled by one AP. If that AP was to die, it doesn't matter, that configuration is saved on all of them. 

    There are several different interfaces you may run into, to be able to configure everything. However, they're all very similar in how they work and react. The full controller has much more capability than Unleashed and at least has more capability on the stand-alone. In any case, it's all well documented, and all straightforward.

    In terms of deployment times, we figure for AP it's an hour and a half, so you can just figure in that as the base amount of time you need for each AP and that includes configuration and installation. Therefore, if you have 20 APs, it's about 30 hours for 25 APs and that's setting up the controller virtual, or Cloud-based, setting up the AP, the SSIDs, passwords, 802.1X., and then physically mounting them.

    What was our ROI?

    The solution definitely offers my clients a good ROI after they implement it.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    They don't really need to be cheaper. They're not the most expensive, and they're not the least expensive. They're right there in the middle.

    What other advice do I have?

    We're a reseller as well as a customer.

    We're running the latest software. We deploy through a controller and we use 802.1X. There're multiple ways to deploy to customers. There's a cloud controller, for example. We typically do a virtual controller on their systems.

    If a company is new to Ruckus, it's best to work with a partner. You need somebody that knows what they're doing, and knows what questions to ask so that you're getting the right information. When I go to do an implementation, I've got a list of 50 different questions. I'll ask somebody, what about this? What about this? What about this? It will help with the implementation process if someone has a complete view of what to ask for and what to do.

    You get what you pay for. People will throw in Linksys, and this other stuff. If you're a business, say you're a coffee shop and you have 50 customers sitting there. You want all of them to get the same performance all the time. I want to make sure everybody gets an equal amount of time without anybody getting any interruptions.

    With Linksys and Ubiquiti and all these other brands, you don't get that. When it comes to the head-to-head competition, the Ruckus far out-shines them. Ten to one, you just can't compete. When they say it's going to do something, it does it. They don't put documentation out that is misleading. If it says it'll do 1,024 clients it'll do 1,024 clients. If it says it'll do 4.3 gigabytes, it'll do 4.3 gigabytes. It's great.

    Overall, I would rate the solution at a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Private Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Solutions Architect at Golden West Technologies
    Real User
    Easy configuration with a good performance and good scalability
    Pros and Cons
    • "The solution has an easy configuration."
    • "They need to be able to allow us to keep some of the older products on our cloud controllers or any of their controllers longer and just start supporting the new controllers. They force you into an upgrade unnecessarily."

    What is our primary use case?

    We primarily use the solution for its performance, compatibility, and capability.

    We do a lot of schools, some colleges, large civic centers, large arenas, that kind of stuff. We know how to deploy this so that they get great client connectivity and have easy guest onboarding. We can onboard guests really easily. Each guest that connects has a pre-shared key that they get. They're all unique. We have some great control over guest traffic, and great control over say, corporate traffic. We control how much bandwidth a guest user gets versus a corporate user, and who gets priority on the network.

    How has it helped my organization?

    When COVID happened, we deployed external access points to the outside of a lot of the buildings that are very weather-resistant, all-metal enclosures, and their students have been able to do assignments and schoolwork and that kind of stuff from the parking lots of the schools. They can drive up in their car, get their assignments, or do work that they need to while they're connected to the school. It made it pretty seamless as everything was already set up on their laptops. Most of the schools are what they call the one-to-one initiatives, where every student gets a laptop. They've been able to work through COVID from their cars in parking lots when they need to be at the school for something. It's really benefited a lot of the schools to be able to do that.

    What is most valuable?

    The solution has an easy configuration.

    The performance is good.

    Ruckus is way ahead of the game on a lot of stuff, like Wi-Fi 6. They're already rolling out their second version of Wi-Fi 6 which is a huge improvement over even Wi-Fi 5. The way wireless started is you had 802.11b, 802.11a, then 802.11g and 802.11n, then 802.11ac, then AC wave 2, 802.11ax, which is Wi-Fi 6, the first version. Now, the next version of Wi-Fi 6 is rolling out already.

    These guys are an engineering company that has some very awesome patterns on how their radios work and their antennas and antenna patterns, and how their signaling and stuff works. That's why nobody can touch them. If they go head-to-head with anybody, they blow Cisco and Aruba out of the water, and Mist, for radio client connectivity. 

    They compete head-to-head with all the big names.

    What needs improvement?

    As far as what they can improve, that's a good question, as they're leaders in what they do in my opinion. I don't know what they can do to improve what they're doing currently. 

    They're not the most expensive, and they're not the least expensive. They're right there in the middle. Pricing might be a deciding factor for some companies. If they were cheaper, they might land more customers.

    They've got a rotation or a life expectancy of about four years for the radio. Not that the radio is going to die. I've got some that are way older than that that the customers are still using. However, they take them and they end the life of them at four years.

    Many of their wireless products are end of life by year four. That's most of it as technology has changed so much that those old radios can't do stuff that is now available for PCs to connect or phones to connect to, etc. What they do is they force you into upgrading. We've got a couple of cloud controllers. If I've got a cloud controller that is in the same version 5.1, and I want to go to version 5.2, due to the fact that I need to support the new radios coming out, I can't if I have some older radios on that controller. They make it so I can't upgrade that controller to the latest software to support the new radios as I've got some end of life radios on there that go end of life when I upgrade the software.

    They need to be able to allow us to keep some of the older products on our cloud controllers or any of their controllers longer and just start supporting the new controllers. They force you into an upgrade unnecessarily. We have some customers that have just a few APs, small businesses that don't want to or don't need to upgrade their controllers. For us to be able to work with their latest access points, we've got to upgrade their controller, but we can't as it's got some older ones on it, and that bites us every year.

    I know the reasoning behind it. It's because it could be security features or it's something that the access points don't support that newer devices do, like your laptops and cell phones. They'll support this new Wi-Fi 6 coming out, yet I can't run the same types of radios on this particular controller software anymore. They can't have both. That kind of puts me off a little bit. But that's the only thing that the company's done that's made me mad.

    There's a lot of new features coming out of Wi-Fi 6 that they don't even have the chips in the phones for yet. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've been using the solution for six years or so at this point.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is very stable. We don't have any issues with it at all.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    The solution is very scalable. I can have up to three controllers, each one housing 10,000 APs. Therefore, I can have a cluster of controllers controlling 30,000 different APs. I don't have anything that big. The closest one is close to 1000, however, still, it's nice to be able to have redundancy. I can build in more redundancy if I need to. 

    How are customer service and technical support?

    As a Ruckus partner, I've got access to Ruckus. I've got access to tech support and it makes things a lot easier for our end-users and the businesses that I work with. If they have an issue they can come directly to me, or they can go directly to Ruckus. It doesn't matter. I'll be happy to help them. If I can't answer the question or get them fixed, then we'll deal with tech support. I don't call tech support very often. Maybe once a year, if that. They make a good product and have good training. Once you learn it, it's pretty easy to manage. We used to have Cisco's products die on us every one or two years. I don't know the last time I had to turn in an RMA for a Ruckus radio. They have a solid product.

    How was the initial setup?

    I've been doing it a long time, so for me, the setup is straightforward. If a person is a brand new to the system, like any system, it can be fairly complex. However, they have great documentation on their website on how to set it up. To do very complex things, that takes somebody who knows what they are doing. I've got a very complex scenario that I need to set up then that's what I get paid for - to help set that stuff up. I will go in and configure things securely for guest access and BYOD devices and corporate laptops with 802.1x. 

    You can have a controller version, or it could be a controller-less. I have a standalone AP, I just got one office with one AP, I don't need it to be controlled by anything. I've got one or two SSIDs, and that can still be configured. It's just that you're doing it on the AP or they have what's called Unleashed, which is controller-less. The AP is the controller and that can do up to 50 APs all controlled by one AP. But if that AP was to die, it doesn't matter that configuration is saved on all of them and the next one in line will just take over as the controller AP. There are several different interfaces you may run into to be able to configure the things, however, they're all very similar in how they work and react. The full controller has much more capability than Unleashed, and Unleashed has more capability than the standalone. 

    In terms of deployment, we figure for an AP it's about an hour and a half. That's for both configuration and installation. Therefore, if you have 20 APs, it's about 30 hours for 25 APs. That's setting up the controller, virtual or cloud-based, setting up the APs, your SSIDs, passwords, 802.1x, and then physically mounting them.

    What was our ROI?

    Our clients definitely get a return on investment when they purchase Ruckus.

    What other advice do I have?

    We are a customer and reseller.

    I'm using the latest version of the solution.

    Through a controller, we use 802.1x. There are multiple ways to deploy it to customers, including via a cloud controller. We typically do a virtual controller on our client's systems.

    I would advise, if a company is new to Ruckus, to work with a partner. It's important to have somebody that knows what they're doing, and knows what questions to ask so that you're getting the right information. When I go to do an implementation, I've got a list of 50 different questions. I'll ask somebody, what about this? What about this? What about this?

    You get what you pay for. People will throw in Lynksys and this other home stuff up. I'll say, that's great. If you're a business, it won't cut it. Say you're a coffee shop and I've got 50 customers sitting side. you want all of them to get the same performance all the time. If I've got three people, four people in that coffee shop streaming videos or watching movies or whatever it might be, I want to make sure everybody gets an equal amount of time without anybody getting any interruptions. With Linksys and Ubiquiti and all these other brands, you don't get that. In head to head competition, Ruckus far outshines them 10 to one. You just can't compete. When they say it's going to do something, it'll do it. They don't put documentation out that is misleading. If it says it'll do 1,024 clients it'll do 1,024 clients. If it says it'll do 4.3 gigabytes, it'll do 4.3 gigabytes.

    I'd rate the solution at a nine out of ten.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    Private Cloud
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    Networks Manager at a manufacturing company with 10,001+ employees
    Real User
    An expensive tool that needs to consider improving the technical support it provides to its users
    Pros and Cons
    • "Mesh networking and antenna patterns are the most valuable features of the solution."
    • "Wi-Fi 6E and the cloud are areas with shortcomings in the solution that need improvement."

    What is our primary use case?

    I use Ruckus Wireless to provide it as a service in residential areas.

    What is most valuable?

    Mesh networking and antenna patterns are the most valuable features of the solution.

    What needs improvement?

    Wi-Fi 6E and the cloud are areas with shortcomings in the solution that need improvement.

    The technical support from Ruckus should be made better and free.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I have been using Ruckus Wireless for twelve years. My company has a partnership with Ruckus Wireless.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Stability-wise, it is an absolutely fine product.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Though the solution is scalable, our company does not use the scalability options provided by the tool.

    My company mostly caters to the needs of our clients, consisting of hundreds of people who mostly want the solution for their residential purposes.

    How are customer service and support?

    The technical support from Ruckus is okay. I rate the technical support a six out of ten.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Neutral

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I have experience with Aruba and Meraki. Ruckus Wireless is above average in price and performance, but it does a good job. Ruckus Wireless is expensive compared to other tools in the market. Considering the fact that there are more expensive products in the market, Ruckus Wireless is a robust product compared to the other cheap alternators in the market. Ruckus Wireless performs well at its price point but is expensive when considering its features.

    How was the initial setup?

    The product's installation phase was easy.

    The number of days required to install the product depends on how big of a deployment process is required for a particular infrastructure. It can take you weeks to complete the deployment of 1,000 access points, while a single access point can be deployed in around 10 minutes.

    No one has deployed Ruckus Wireless on the cloud since it doesn't provide users with a robust or easy-to-use cloud solution.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Cost-wise, the product is priced above average, considering its competitors in the market.

    What other advice do I have?

    Speaking about whether it was easy or difficult to maintain the solution, I would say that my experience was average.

    I would tell those who plan to use the solution that it is not a voice move to deploy it now since you can't deploy Wi-Fi 6E currently.

    Ruckus Wireless doesn't offer the latest protocols in all formats. For small deployments, you have to be on their enterprise platform, and if you're not deploying with the help of their enterprise platform, you can't deploy the latest generation of Wi-Fi, making it difficult for you to sell it. Ruckus Wireless is currently only good for maintenance purposes.

    I rate the overall solution a three out of ten.

    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
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    PeerSpot user
    Seth Kumar - PeerSpot reviewer
    Manager-IT Infrastructure at a wellness & fitness company with 5,001-10,000 employees
    Real User
    Top 10
    It is controller-based and easy to configure, but it needs to automate its guest Wifi access function
    Pros and Cons
    • "What I like best about Ruckus Wireless is that it's a controller-based product, so it's easy to configure."
    • "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."

    What is most valuable?

    What I like best about Ruckus Wireless is that it's a controller-based product, so it's easy to configure.

    What needs 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.

    A minor area for improvement in Ruckus Wireless is its technical support.

    I want a built-in RADIUS server on Ruckus Wireless in the next release, as that would add some value to the product.

    For how long have I used the solution?

    My company has been using Ruckus Wireless for five years.

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    Regarding stability, I rate Ruckus Wireless as eight out of ten.

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    Ruckus Wireless is scalable. Every controller has a limit on the number of APs, and my company's controller can handle one thousand APs. Still, my company only uses two hundred APs, so Ruckus Wireless is a scalable product.

    How are customer service and support?

    My rating for Ruckus Wireless technical support is eight out of ten. It has a small room for improvement.

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    My company purchased Aruba Wireless for a new location based on Gartner recommendations. My company also made a technical comparison and found that Aruba Wireless is the number one product in the world, which is why the company is leaning toward it versus Ruckus Wireless.

    How was the initial setup?

    Ruckus Wireless has a simple initial setup.

    What about the implementation team?

    An integrator deployed Ruckus Wireless for my company, but my company is responsible for maintaining the product.

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    Regarding pricing, Ruckus Wireless is a five out of ten. Though it's cheaper than Aruba Wireless, pricing for Ruckus Wireless, when you look at its functionality, could be more affordable.

    What other advice do I have?

    My company has Ruckus Wireless switching and AP products.

    In the company, about one thousand five hundred people use Ruckus Wireless.

    Four network engineers maintain the product within the company.

    Ruckus Wireless is a seven on a scale of one to ten.

    I'm recommending the product to others.

    My company is a Ruckus Wireless customer.

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
    PeerSpot user
    General Manager at InfoMed Technologies PLC
    Reseller
    Top 5
    User-friendly, good signal strength, and easy to set up
    Pros and Cons
    • "Stability has been very good. It is reliable."
    • "If the system could directly download and update, that would be much easier. It could be more automated."

    What is our primary use case?

    The solution is used for wireless connectivity. It's excellent for internet access. 

    How has it helped my organization?

    It works well in company or hotel environments to provide WiFi.

    What is most valuable?

    Clients have had an excellent experience overall. 

    The management is very good.

    It provides a very good signal strength.

    Stability has been very good. It is reliable. 

    It has been issue-free overall. The technology is very good. 

    Wherever we have deployed it, we have found it satisfactory.

    The interface is user-friendly.

    The solution scales well.

    Technical support is excellent. 

    We've never had issues with importing or exporting data. 

    What needs improvement?

    The technology itself is good. They are always improving their technology and cloud environment. They are mostly ahead of the competition. As long as they keep updating, we will be happy.

    There are no new features needed.

    You do need to pay extra for support after one year.

    There's only a small amount of backup available. However, we do not need any more storage for backups. 

    When firmware updates, you have to download and update. If the system could directly download and update, that would be much easier. It could be more automated. To update firmware, a partner account is required, and there are very few of us in the market in our region who can help the customer. Without the upgrade, there may not be recognition of access points. If you are behind a few versions, you need to download each old version until you get to the latest. 

    For how long have I used the solution?

    I've used the solution for many years. I've likely used it for more than ten years. 

    What do I think about the stability of the solution?

    The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze. There are no latency or performance issues. 

    I'd rate the stability ten out of ten. 

    What do I think about the scalability of the solution?

    I'd rate the scalability ten out of ten. We are using the solution at full capacity. At different sites, there are different numbers of users. This is sued at hotels or companies. One access point can support up to 300 users. You just add a device if you need more users. We haven't had issues with latency or network congestion. 

    Our clients are small and medium-sized businesses.

    How are customer service and support?

    Technical support is good. You can buy extra support. Initially, when you buy it, you have support, and after one year, it will expire. You may not need to buy more support as you can get information online if you need to troubleshoot. 

    How would you rate customer service and support?

    Positive

    Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?

    I've also worked with Cisco solutions. Cisco is more expensive, and there is less performance. Ruckus offers better quality. 

    How was the initial setup?

    The initial setup is very easy. I'd rate the ease of setup ten out of ten. The setup process is the best.

    It was quick to deploy. The deployment process itself was very short. We imported the IP and licenses. Then we just did the cabling, connected, and configured everything. 

    What about the implementation team?

    We can help our customers implement the solution. 

    What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?

    The pricing is moderate. It's not as cheap as a few other options; however, compared to the performance you get, it's excellent. I'd rate the value of pricing ten out of ten. In terms of if it is high or low, I'd rate it five out of ten as it's moderate. It's better than Cisco in terms of pricing. Cisco gives you less performance and integration and costs more. 

    The license is perpetual. You may need to pay for extra support after a year. However, you do not have to renew the general license. You pay for everything at once in the beginning. 

    What other advice do I have?

    We are partners. We handle installations for customers. 

    I am working with various versions of the solution at this time. 

    I'd advise others to use Ruckus. It is a great product. I would rate it ten out of ten. 

    Which deployment model are you using for this solution?

    On-premises
    Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: partner
    PeerSpot user
    Buyer's Guide
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    Updated: March 2024
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    Buyer's Guide
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