Aruba Networks Wireless WAN vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN comparison

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Executive Summary

We performed a comparison between Aruba Networks Wireless WAN and Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN based on real PeerSpot user reviews.

Find out what your peers are saying about Ubiquiti Networks, Ruckus, Cambium Networks and others in Wireless WAN.
To learn more, read our detailed Wireless WAN Report (Updated: February 2024).
763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.
Featured Review
Quotes From Members
We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use.
Here are some excerpts of what they said:
Pros
"It's quite stable.""The GUI offered by the product is good.""Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is stable and good.""They offer per-user tunneling to a variety of endpoints.""In the event of a controller appliance failure or downtime, the system seamlessly transitions control to any access point acting as a backup controller.""There is a clustering feature, so the APs immediately switch back to the next available controller. The users will not notice any impact and will feel connected to the network. They will not notice any disconnection.""We don't know this product very well yet, but what we have used so far and what we like are user control, bandwidth, and access.""The most valuable feature of Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is that it is easy to configure. Additionally, with the same configuration with Cisco and Ruckus, we can receive 55 to 60 percent more out of Aruba Networks Wireless WAN."

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"We rarely encounter any issues. The solutions have been very stable.""For Meraki, the ease of deployment and management is most valuable.""The most valuable feature is the ease of deployment.""The most valuable aspect of this solution is the single pane of glass management and reliability.""The most valuable features are the multiple types of user groupings and access management.""The solution is very easy to use.""The product's cloud controller is easy to use.""I really love their cloud-based dashboard which allows me to see all my locations from one location."

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Cons
"Aruba's technical support has room for improvement.""Deployment can take some time if you haven't planned well.""This solution needs different models that are more specialized for certain customers.""It works. We don't look at it any deeper than that and don't find any features ar missing.""We have had stability issues with some types of portable devices.""We do not have direct access to Aruba’s Mesh portal.""Sometimes, the configuration part of Aruba Networks Wireless WAN can be complex, and if you fail to understand the product at once, you may not even know about some features that you can apply to your network, and they may go unused.""The solution would be improved with a better interface."

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"The initial setup was simple. However, the full deployment could be easier.""The solution’s pricing could be improved.""The technical support for Meraki needs improvements made to the waiting times.""The licensing isn't very customer-centric. They may have improved it, but previously, if you forgot to pay on a certain day, your service would be shut off.""Concern when there are a number of concurrent users.""Quality of technical support varies.""Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN's management tools need enhancement.""Meraki is still very much a small office type of solution. It is not a fit for large enterprise networks, as it doesn't have tunneling functionalities."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Cons →

Pricing and Cost Advice
  • "It is more affordable than Cisco."
  • "The price of this solution is approximately 1,000,000 ESP ($6,750 USD)."
  • "The price of this solution is better than some other vendors."
  • "Licensing fees are paid on a yearly basis."
  • "The price of Aruba Networks Wireless WAN depends on how you buy it. From a pricing perspective, if you choose to buy Aruba Networks Wireless WAN as an MRC, it's dependent upon the radio and the solution that you choose what your MRC is. If you choose to buy it outright, they're competitive with their competitors, and they're probably four percent or five percent lower than their largest competitor."
  • "Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is cheaper than Cisco, and the web experience is great."
  • "Aruba Wireless comes with the controller."
  • "With some vendors, the access point is not manageable anymore if you don't maintain the license. It's more or less a doorstop because you can't configure and control it. You can't troubleshoot it unless you maintain the license. That's not true with Aruba."
  • More Aruba Networks Wireless WAN Pricing and Cost Advice →

  • "Negotiate the deal put in front of you!"
  • "At this price point, I would not mind seeing a four-way channel, instead of a 3x3 or a 4x4, like they do in the Cisco Aironet system with their other brand. For the same price point in this other Cisco brand, it is a lot cheaper, and you can get a slightly better throughput than you can with these."
  • "​If you are wondering if Meraki can work for you, contact one of their representatives because they will do onsite trials where you can set up their system. If it does not work, you can send it back to them for no charge.​​"
  • "The price is negotiable."
  • "It's a pretty good value, but not great. Pricing is on a yearly basis for the Meraki solution."
  • "The price is good, but it could be improved."
  • "You have to renew your contract every year, or for three or for five years. If you do not pay right away they will suspend your subscription."
  • "The pricing is based on a subscription and is a bit high at the moment."
  • More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Pricing and Cost Advice →

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    Questions from the Community
    Top Answer:I recommend Aruba Networks Wireless WAN. I have been using Aruba for approximately a decade. It has a great centralized management system, which means we don’t need wireless LAN controllers at every… more »
    Top Answer:The security feature and the signal are good as they is dependent on our needs.
    Top Answer:The pricing is cheaper in comparison to similar products.
    Top Answer:Depends.  I have personally used both Cisco and Aruba so I am familiar with them.  Extreme I am not, so unless they have some feature that I need or want, I wouldn't consider them Do you have… more »
    Top Answer:Cisco Wireless is very robust, very rugged, and can handle indoor and outdoor coverage extremely well. We found it to be very reliable and to consistently run very efficiently. Cisco Wireless helped… more »
    Top Answer:Cisco’s Meraki Virtual MX is a virtual instance of the Meraki SD-WAN appliance. We liked the Meraki. The Wifi APs are a great feature. The dashboard is a simple interface and easy to learn. It… more »
    Ranking
    5th
    out of 10 in Wireless WAN
    Views
    591
    Comparisons
    325
    Reviews
    23
    Average Words per Review
    456
    Rating
    8.4
    4th
    out of 31 in Wireless LAN
    Views
    28,985
    Comparisons
    22,162
    Reviews
    21
    Average Words per Review
    411
    Rating
    8.2
    Comparisons
    Also Known As
    MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN
    Learn More
    Cisco
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    Overview

    Aruba Networks Wireless Wide Area Network (WAN) is a powerful WAN solution that enables organizations and businesses to create global networks that securely connect their members regardless of their locations. Aruba Networks Wireless WAN leverages AI to create a network that is always equipped to address issues or keep up with evolving needs. The operations that run on this network are also capable of running consistently because the AI is always learning and keeping the network running smoothly. The cutting-edge build of this solution is the reason that it is a leader in the field of wide area networks.

    Aruba Networks Wireless WAN Benefits

    Some of the benefits of using Aruba Networks Wireless WAN include:

    • Minimize the costs associated with cloud integrations. Aruba Networks Wireless WAN enables users to automate the process by which networks connect to cloud and SaaS services. This reduces the total amount of resources that need to be spent on these integrations.
    • Track the health of a network using real-time tracking. Aruba Networks Wireless WAN gives administrators the ability to keep track of different network health metrics. It possesses a variety of different tracking capabilities that can be used to best meet a user’s needs.
    • Increased network efficiency. Aruba Networks Wireless WAN’s AI software leverages machine learning to identify issues before they arise and recommend solutions when an issue arises. It enables users to be proactive in dealing with network issues.

    Aruba Networks Wireless WAN Features

    When users deploy Aruba Networks Wireless WAN, they gain access to a number of very powerful and useful features. These features include:

    • Unified network policy enforcement. Aruba’s Dynamic Segmentation feature connects all aspects of a user’s WAN. In doing so, it ensures that all network policies are enforced uniformly across every portion of the network.
    • Dynamic Path Steering (DPS). Aruba Networks Wireless WAN’s DPS feature keeps a user’s network running smoothly. It directs traffic running through the network to the uplink that is most appropriate for it. This minimizes potential network latency.

    • WAN Compression. This feature makes it possible for users to route more traffic through a given WAN circuit at times of high congestion. It compresses traffic so that the network circuit can better accommodate the increased activity.

    Reviews from Real Users

    Aruba Networks Wireless WAN allows users to create, deploy, and manage wide area networks. It is a highly flexible solution that provides system engineers with many options when they are designing and rolling out their networks. Administrators can produce networks that are easily configured, rolled out, and monitored from anywhere in the world. Aruba Networks Wireless WAN has a centralized management interface. Administrators can control every aspect of the network from one console. They can access all of the network controls and data from this one interface. This simplifies the jobs of network administrators who are responsible for keeping the networks up and running.

    A network engineer at a technology company writes, “I feel that Aruba allows for more flexibility when it comes to configuration and deployment. Aruba gives you the same feeling as using a controller on-prem, whereas Meraki seems to be hiding a lot of the configuration behind the scenes and forces you to actually call them and ask them to enable certain features. So far, using Aruba Central is more like using an actual controller based on the amount of configuration you can do. Meraki just came out with profiles, but as far as I know, they don't have profiles for how your device connects to the actual physical LAN.”

    A network and security engineer at a communications service provider writes, “The most valuable feature of Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is centralized management capability. You don't have to have wireless LAN controllers at every location.”

    Cisco Meraki access points are built from the highest grade components and carefully optimized for a seamless user experience. The outcome: faster connections, greater user capacity, more coverage, and fewer support calls. The Cisco Meraki dashboard gives visibility into the network users, their devices, and their applications. Armed with rich analytics, administrators can quickly create access control and application usage policies, optimizing both the end-user experience and network security.
    Sample Customers
    The Pittsburgh Golf Club, Rio Rancho Public Schools, Amwaj Rotana - Jumeirah Beach Residence - Dubai, Trevecca Nazarene University
    Advanced Medical Transport, Banco de Guayaquil, Baylor Scott & White Health, BH Telecom, Bowling Green State University, Calligaris, Children's Hospital Colorado, City of Biel, Del Papa Distributing, Department of Justice, Dimension Data, Dualtec Cloud Builders, Electricity Authority of Cyprus, Grupo Industrial Saltillo (GIS), Hertz, K&L Gates , LightEdge, Lone Star College System, Management Science Associates, Mindtree, NBC Olympics, Quest, Sony Corporation, The Department of Education in Western Australia, Valley Proteins
    Top Industries
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider17%
    Manufacturing Company17%
    Computer Software Company13%
    Retailer9%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company15%
    Comms Service Provider15%
    Media Company9%
    Government8%
    REVIEWERS
    Comms Service Provider18%
    Educational Organization10%
    Financial Services Firm8%
    Non Profit8%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Computer Software Company20%
    Comms Service Provider7%
    Government6%
    Manufacturing Company6%
    Company Size
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business56%
    Midsize Enterprise10%
    Large Enterprise33%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business37%
    Midsize Enterprise14%
    Large Enterprise49%
    REVIEWERS
    Small Business55%
    Midsize Enterprise21%
    Large Enterprise25%
    VISITORS READING REVIEWS
    Small Business29%
    Midsize Enterprise17%
    Large Enterprise55%
    Buyer's Guide
    Wireless WAN
    February 2024
    Find out what your peers are saying about Ubiquiti Networks, Ruckus, Cambium Networks and others in Wireless WAN. Updated: February 2024.
    763,955 professionals have used our research since 2012.

    Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is ranked 5th in Wireless WAN with 32 reviews while Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is ranked 4th in Wireless LAN with 27 reviews. Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is rated 8.4, while Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is rated 8.2. The top reviewer of Aruba Networks Wireless WAN writes "Simple to configure, easy setup, but support could improve". On the other hand, the top reviewer of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN writes "Terrible licensing, trouble with updating, and unhelpful support advice". Aruba Networks Wireless WAN is most compared with Cambium Networks Wireless WAN, Ubiquiti Wireless and Fortinet FortiWLM, whereas Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is most compared with Aruba Wireless, Ubiquiti Wireless, Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points, Mist AI and Cloud and Ruckus Wireless.

    We monitor all Wireless WAN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.