Aruba Wireless Reviews

The primary use we have for the product is for users' corporate mobile access.  

The most valuable feature is the fact that it can work with many devices. It supports everything that we need it to. Whatever features are required from an enterprise standard, it supports all of them. The main advantage is broad device support.  

The area that has the most room for improvement is upgrades. What we have seen many times now is that new releases tend to have bugs. Sometimes the bugs are a little bad and cause some undesirable issues. The new code in the upgrades or something leads to conflicts. I would say testing releases before making them available is one of the areas which Aruba needs to improve most with the wireless product. More comprehensive testing is required for a better, more reliable end-user experience.  

It is not necessarily testing more often, it is just for new releases. The testing they need to do is to work more closely with different environments and take notice of where issues tend to occur. They should have some idea of what environments are experiencing issues more often by now because of which companies are reporting the issues. They can make compensations for testing in those environments.  

I do not have any new features that the product requires off the top of my head. I think that more than improving the product, there are management portfolios and other peripheral things that could be better integrated. But just doing better testing is the main improvement that they need to make.  

We have been using Aruba Wireless for between seven and eight years now.  

Aruba Wireless has been a stable solution for us. Once it was set up correctly it was fine. We had some initial hiccups. We still have issues with upgrades sometimes. Except for mostly minor issues, it has been a good solution.  

Aruba Wireless is easily scaled between a lot of devices and a lot of endpoints. When we decided to use it as our solution we had planned to use it exactly for its ability to scale. We went through a massive scaling and did not have issues with devices and endpoints.  

Right now we have 30,000 users and around 45,000 devices between those users. It does not seem that there are many limitations for scaling the product's use.  

Technical support is good. The only issue we have had with them is that we often have to be referred to their engineering response team. That situation actually happens most of the time. On the other hand, we do not need to use support very often.  

So, yes, we get support for the product and we eventually get the solution we need, but most of the time it gets referred to their engineering team to get the complete solution. Overall, the support is pretty good.  

The initial setup was a little bit complex because our environment is complex. Because of that, I would say the initial setup was complex. It may not be as complex for other companies.  

It took almost a year for deployment. But there are two sides to the setup. One is the product is good and it can be configured to do what we need. But our environment was complex because it involves some legacy devices and some really advanced new devices and technologies as well. It is good that the product is able to support both of those needs.  

We have a couple of IT specialists, one architect, and a development operations engineer for deploying the updates and maintaining the solution. In total, it is around four or five people who maintain the product. Not everyone needs to be dedicated to it full-time.  

The advice that I would give to others who are looking into implementing Aruba starts with that it is a good product. It has some really good features. But the other reality is that you might need to be prepared to face some hiccups with any upgrades and with the setup.  

On a scale from one to ten where one is the worst and ten is the best, I would rate the Aruba Wireless solution as a seven-point-five out of ten. Because of the upgrade issues and the persistence of those, I would rate it a seven.  

Our primary product is the Aruba Instant IAP-205-US Wireless Network AP, JW213A. We have 16 locations. Currently, 12 locations have Aruba wireless APs.  Within the next 4-6 weeks, all locations will have Aruba wireless APs. All locations except our main location use Aruba Central. Cloud Central gives us one management console where we can configure the same wireless networks for all locations.

Many of the devices (laptops, tablets, phones, inventory devices) throughout our organization require wireless capability. Our Aruba configuration gives us the flexibility to be wireless, keeping the same three wireless networks at all locations.

With our Aruba configuration, we have a robust, rock-solid, enterprise wireless environment, that is literally maintenance free.

Overall, the wireless networks that we have configured are the most valuable.

We have three wireless networks: One for employee use, one for guest use, and one for our warehouse use, which uses MAC authentication. These wireless networks just simply work, they do not fail.

The IAP-205 devices are very strong with great range. Very durable equipment; it always works.

The Aruba Central cloud portal needs a lot of work. It is complicated to navigate.

We have used this product for over six years. We have transitioned from a physical controller (model 620) for wireless, to the "instant" (virtual) controller, eliminating the physical controller.

Overall, I would rate our experience with Aruba Wireless products an eight out of 10.

The product is very durable, does not go down or fail. It rates a 10. The Aruba Central cloud portal needs work. Compared to the Cisco Meraki dashboard portal, the Meraki dashboard portal is a nine out of 10, while the Aruba Central cloud portal is a five at best.

We use wireless for all testing (on Apple, Chrome, and even tablets). We moved our school over to having a managed wireless network. This was my first time doing something like this and my colleague nor myself had any issues with the software or hardware. 

We have a large investment in Aruba Networks WiFi technology. We have recently deployed a mix of Aruba 225 and Aruba 335 units to provide complete and full coverage over multiple floors. We like the automatic hand-off of a connection to the access point with the strongest connection. We have had no issues deploying the access points, and look forward to years of service from these products, which is a strength that we are seeing. 

It has great equipment for wireless AP needs. We purchased 1000 units for each floor of our schools. They have a ton of useful business-related features and security features, but the biggest selling point was the ability to create two different SSIDs to control public versus private wireless networks. 

AirWave (monitoring tool)

If there is a network issue, there are so many ways to access the monitoring application. Also there are maps and labels to tell you exactly where an issue may be. The TAC Service is very responsive and persistent.

There is so much licensing, you literally pay for every solution, add-on, or cool feature. Compared to others, we were in the middle with pricing, but as you start to invest more into features it will get very pricey.

Stability and its ability to handle more devices has been an improvement for our organization.

Installation is relatively easy.

Configuration was not all that complicated, but there were some forums online that helped us just in case. They shed light on the deep config options.

We only had a summer to deploy.

We will be buying the ClearPass solution, which will be pricey. However, in the trial version, it has even more tools to manage a busy network.

I primarily use the solution for wireless connectivity.

I really appreciate the seamless mobility between access points.

The solution is very stable. 

It can scale as needed.

Technical support has been helpful. 

It did take us a while to get used to the setup.

We have had issues with the availability of the equipment. We always have trouble locating equipment, finding suppliers who sell it, or finding someone who has stock.

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

The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze. 

We haven't had issues with scalability. It has met our needs so far. 

Our organization is quite sizeable, and 10,000 people alone are cell phone users. They all use Aruba Wireless. 

I've never dealt with technical support. 

I recall there was an issue that we had to call to contact technical support, and the architect contacted Aruba directly. It took them like three days to resolve the issue. Generally, my understanding is that they are helpful. 

Positive

I also have experience with Cisco Wireless solutions as well. 

The initial setup does take some getting used to. However, once you understand it, it's quite straightforward. 

I'd rate the ease of setup at a four and a half out of five. 

I don't have any insights into the exact cost of the solution. My understanding is that it is a bit more expensive than Cisco. I'd rate the affordability at a three out of five.

I'm not involved in the decision-making process regarding looking at solutions.

We're Aruba partners. 

New users need to understand the technical solution before considering it, especially if they're migrating from Cisco to Aruba. If that's the case, they need to understand Aruba before migrating fully. They shouldn't compare it as it's not apples to apples. 

I'd rate the product eight out of ten. 

At the time when we started implementing it, there wasn't enough experience in the market, so all the engineers and the architects had to learn from scratch. I also have a concern about the cost, which seems, from what I recall, a little bit higher than the one we were replacing. Otherwise, it's a very good, reliable product.

We operate in the education sector and we use it for our staff and students to access our cloud-based application. This includes our learning management system, Canvas and a few systems. We also use it for our guests on site.

This is the second time I've implemented and installed this solution and I think it is outstanding. The support is excellent and so is the hardware. We don't need much support because nothing really goes wrong.

We have been using this solution for 10 years.

This is a stable solution. 

This is a scalable solution. We have 3,500 users in our organisation supported by Aruba. 

The customer service and support for this solution is excellent. 

Positive

We previously used Cisco. We were contacted by Aruba and had some fantastic demonstrations from them. We talked to other schools that had already implemented the solution. We looked at Gartner reports and where they sat in terms of their support, their product and their reputation in the market. We did extensive research on Aruba before switching.

The initial setup is straightforward. 

We did enlist the help of network consultants to complete the setup for us. Three consultants were involved in the deployment and it took three days. 

What I really like about the company is they stay in touch with us and let us know what their roadmap is and what developments are coming. They are not just a company that sells you their solution and then disappears.

Aruba is a sound business investment because we hardly ever experience any issues. On one occasion when we had a failure, their support team helped us immediately.

I would rate this solution a ten out of ten.

We have many clients and therefore many use cases. It's used in manufacturing, hospitality, hospitals, commercial buildings, and shopping centers.

The cost is pretty good. It's what draws in the clients. 

It has a straightforward initial setup.

The solution can scale.

It's a stable product.

Technical support is good.

The solution is now taking eight to 12 months to deliver the product. It takes too long to receive it right now.

Depending on how you design the setup, it can get complicated. 

I've been dealing with the solution for ten or more years. 

It's a stable solution. We haven't had any issues. It's reliable and the performance is good. 

You can scale the solution quite well. It's a good option for enterprises or large rollouts. 

It's been so far, so good with technical support. We're satisfied with it overall. 

We also use Ruckus Wireless.

The initial setup's level of difficulty depends on how we design the network. It can be very complicated if we're talking on a campus level and there are a thousand touch points. 

I'm a systems integrator. I can implement the product for clients. 

The price is reasonable.

We are a system integrator, an IT company.

We are still selling the latest version.

I'd rate the solution eight out of ten. The customers for the most part are happy with it. 

We use this solution for law enforcement, medical, etc.

We have couple campus and throughout the country. Our users are able to use their laptop or cell phone while on the move from one location to different location across the country while maintaining connection. And also for me as administrator, we can use Aruba WIFI along with the clear path authentication, TechX, and Samuel. This enables users to experience seamless connection to the organization.

We appreciate the integration options that are available.

I believe that Aruba's support could be improved.

Aruba is pretty stable.

This solution is extremely scalable. We have about one thousand users and have license for ten thousand.

They made some changes to support that I am not happy with.

We have used Cisco and Ruckus in the past. We are still using Ruckus, but stopped using Cisco due to directors orders.

The initial setup was pretty straightforward and took just a couple of hours.

We deployed via out in-house team of a couple of engineers.

Be sure that you know your infrastructure, how many users will be using it, and how many SSIDs you use. This will help you maximize integrations and have engineers that can successfully navigate the new system.

The primary use is for distributing internet bandwidth. The performance is good.

The benefit is the constant delivery of internet bandwidth. Everybody is getting internet access properly. When 40 - 50 people are sitting in a small area it is capable of delivering internet to them constantly.

It delivers constantly, there is no break in the internet using these devices. It also automatically gets connected when the internet comes back. Failure is very low.

What I would like to have with these kinds of devices is the most enhanced security. For example, if I could apply security from wireless devices, that would be great.

I would also like more enhanced reports on user adoption, who is getting what bandwidth. That is the kind of report I should be getting.

It's completely stable.

Scalability is good. Suppose there are 20 people in a room and suddenly 10 more people come into the room. It automatically scales up and provides the internet.

A situation where we have had to contact technical support has never happened in the last year. It has been really constant in the distribution of the bandwidth.

I wanted experience using more products. We were already using another product but I thought, "Okay, let's try Aruba this time and see what the feedback is like." I thought Aruba would give me better performance, after looking at the performance of the existing devices.

When selecting a vendor, the most important factor is that support has to be there. I would look for constant support from any vendor. It can't be that the product is sold and after that there is no support. There has to be constant and quick support from the vendor.

The setup is straightforward, it's not complex. Things are quite easy with Aruba.

We were looking at different products for our new premises. Aruba was known to me so I compared Aruba with Ruckus.

I would definitely recommend Aruba devices.

I rate Aruba Wireless at nine out of 10 because of the performance and stability of the product. It's not a 10 because it needs enhanced security and a more granular level of reporting. If these kinds of things were provided it could be a 10.