2021-10-20T07:21:00Z

Which is better - Ubiquiti Wireless or Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?

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Real User
2021-11-02T08:25:32Z
Nov 2, 2021

Ubiquiti Wireless offers a wide range of WLAN products. We tested their devices before ultimately choosing Cisco Meraki. Ubiquiti devices have good outdoor performance and the connection is very stable. The internal roaming is also good.


The best advantage, in my opinion, was the ease of management. The central control panel enables you to manage the entire wireless network, view and control the settings easily. Another feature we liked was the automatic firmware update. Ubiquiti is also more cost-effective than other alternatives.


We noticed issues, though, with their layer 3 devices and routing equipment. Ubiquiti is a low-cost alternative but the tradeoff is the almost non-existent support. We had to rely on the community forums for answers. Additionally, there is a good chance a percentage of the Ubiquiti devices will break, so, have extra devices on standby.


We chose Cisco Meraki because of their great wireless coverage, as is to be expected with Cisco products. Also, they offer the latest generation of WiFi technology.


Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN controllers are “set and go.” Once you set it up to your preferred configuration, it just runs by itself. It is very reliable. Adding access points is very easy from the wireless controller - you can even group APs. The monitoring is very good, too. You have visibility and control over the wireless network - for instance, you can block or disconnect users.


Regarding security, you can integrate the controller with most SSO vendors if you want an extra layer, but the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN controller provides robust layer 2 security with authentication controls.


The only downside we find is the licensing model. You may need several licenses and the cost can add up.


Conclusions


If you can afford it, go with Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN. Ubiquiti provides a good affordable alternative if you don’t mind the lack of support.

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