We are satisfied with the product.
Technical Project Manager at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
The network management system is not great, and the solution is incapable of handling a large number of access points
Pros and Cons
- "The access points and controllers are good."
- "The network management system is not great."
How has it helped my organization?
What is most valuable?
The access points and controllers are good and do not give us any issues. In addition, the individual access points are good.
What needs improvement?
They recently launched the virtual wireless controller and a new CTI. Unfortunately, it is not scalable, and the performance is not good. Sometimes it hangs, and it has a slow response. We don't have a good experience and are uncomfortable with these elements.
The network management system is not great. It is incapable of handling a large number of access points. They are working on it but have not been able to fix it yet.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for about six years. We are using different models like the Wi-fi 5 model.
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Wireless WAN
April 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Wireless WAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good because we have a contract with them. They respond whenever we have an issue.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The pricing is okay compared to other products like Aruba and Huawei. However, to be more competitive, Cisco could lower its price.
What other advice do I have?
We have a big infrastructure of about 15,000 to 20,000. So if it works fine for us, it will suit small companies with small networks. We use the controller, and it is fine. I rate this solution a five out of ten, mainly because of the network issues.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.

Assistant general manager at Beximcocomputers
Useful dashboards, secure, and good support
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are the dashboards, security functionality, and Cisco DNA center. The way the solution has integrated within the fabric of the environment with automation is very good."
- "The setup of Cisco Wireless WAN needs an expert. You need someone with experience to be able to work with Cisco Wireless solutions. It took approximately one to two weeks to implement the solution."
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Wireless WAN works well in an enterprise environment.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are the dashboards, security functionality, and Cisco DNA center. The way the solution has integrated within the fabric of the environment with automation is very good.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Wireless WAN could improve the wireless environment visibility. For example, the information regarding bandwidth use, conditions of the network, and application visibility.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is a scalable solution. You are able to purchase as many licenses as required.
I have worked with this solution in large environments. We have had clients with approximately 2,000 users.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Cisco is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Aruba Wireless.
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Cisco Wireless WAN needs an expert. You need someone with experience to be able to work with Cisco Wireless solutions. It took approximately one to two weeks to implement the solution.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation of Cisco Wireless WAN will need at least a field engineer to do the configuration of the appliance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license is not subscription-based.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a 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
Buyer's Guide
Cisco Wireless WAN
April 2025

Learn what your peers think about Cisco Wireless WAN. Get advice and tips from experienced pros sharing their opinions. Updated: April 2025.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.
3rd Line Systems Engineer at a legal firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Highly scalable, nice GUI visuals, and helpful support
Pros and Cons
- "The Cisco solution is good, the new GUI looks good and we are seeing more telemetry from it."
- "The new platform of Cisco Wireless WAN I did not like, there weren't many features available. The online platform has more options."
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Wireless WAN for our internal and guests users. We have recently migrated to the newest version of the solution.
What is most valuable?
The Cisco solution is good, the new GUI looks good and we are seeing more telemetry from it.
What needs improvement?
The new platform of Cisco Wireless WAN I did not like, there weren't many features available. The online platform has more options.
We found ourselves needing to integrate Cisco Wireless WAN with another Cisco product, called Cisco DNA, to try and receive more assurance on the data. It's another piece of hardware that you're putting onto your network. It could have been a cloud solution. Before Cisco, we used to have Cisco Prime which used to give us more in-depth analytics, such as heat maps of someone complaining about wireless access in a specific area. You could drill down into that, but you don't receive that information from the Cisco controller. We will receive the information if we implemented the DNAC solution, but it is another solution that we're implementing from Cisco. A competitor could probably do it in a better way reducing the need for multiple solutions.
Overall Cisco Wireless WAN could improve by giving more granular reporting and alerts back on issues and not having to integrate other tools onto the same platform. However, the platform is new, the interface is continually developing. Hopefully, they can improve quickly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I found the new version of Cisco Wireless WAN initially seemed to be quite buggy. However, the stability is good overall.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This model of Cisco Wireless WAN has good scalability. You can have ten of thousands of people using it.
We have approximately 4,000 users of this solution globally. The solution is used hourly.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support from Cisco Wireless WAN is good. However, they were better before.
How was the initial setup?
As people were transitioning to this Cisco Wireless WAN hardware, there wasn't as much available information online about different issues people might come across.
When determining if the implementation is going to be difficult it would depend on the topology of the sites. We're a global company, and on some of the sites where it was a standalone controller, it was straightforward to implement. However, on a different site when we were using the physical appliance, as a virtual wireless anchor that was in our own cloud, integrating that wasn't seamless.
What about the implementation team?
We had help from the vendor when we were doing the implementation.
We have one person that does the maintenance and patching of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price of Cisco Wireless WAN could improve upon pricing, it is expensive. We purchased the hardware through a vendor that Cisco used and we received approximately 75 percent off.
We are on a three-year license with Cisco Wireless WAN.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We evaluated the Cisco Meraki solution before we made the decision to choose the on-premise solution. One reason we choose the on-premise solution is we were already using one. When choosing which one is better, it is difficult because I did not use Cisco Meraki extensively to determine which one is best.
What other advice do I have?
Since we have recently migrated to the new version of the Cisco Wireless WAN platform the interface has changed and I'm still getting used to it.
I would recommend Cisco Wireless WAN. However, that's because my exposure is to Cisco Wireless. I'm probably a little bit biased. Overall, it's a fairly good solution.
Whether this solution is suitable or not for a company depends on their deployment, if they were a Greenfield-sized company or a Brownfield-sized company I would have different tips. It does fully depend on the scenario. My key advice is with a wireless solution is for them to do a wireless survey first before purchasing.
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN 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.
Technical Project Manager at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
Good documentation, stable, and integrates easily
Pros and Cons
- "This is the most stable product in the market."
- "The reporting feature needs improvement, especially adding information with regards to availability uptime."
What is our primary use case?
The primary use case for this solution is supplying Wi-Fi to public users.
We have been using this solution for 3D uploading and providing resources for users. Our goal is to offload traffic from mobile devices while people are at work.
We have been installing this solution in malls, the university, and other buildings. We have deployed this solution across the whole country.
What is most valuable?
This is the most stable product in the market.
The documentation is very good and it's available everywhere. If you use Google to search then you will get it all.
The integration is easy.
What needs improvement?
The reporting feature needs improvement, especially adding information with regards to availability uptime. Currently, we have to calculate this on our own by using a performance tool and then customize the reports to display it. This information is a major concern for us because we need to know how much uptime is available to our customers.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution since 2015.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a stable solution and we have not had any problems. We have not found any bugs.
The only problem that we have had is related to power failures, which has nothing to do with the product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have deployed this solution across the country, and anyone who is in the kingdom can use Wi-Fi for free for two hours. We have thousands of users.
We will be deploying more Cisco products because the integration is easy, and our core is already made up of Cisco.
How are customer service and technical support?
We are satisfied with the technical support from Cisco.
They are not only taking care of the Wi-Fi. Cisco has also deployed the IP MPLS network.
Whenever we have a problem and we explain it to them, they try their best to solve it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Previously, we were using the Cisco 5500 series and the 8500 series.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of this solution is not complex because there is lots of documentation available and it is very good. Instead of being complex, it becomes easy for you.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are also using a solution by Aruba. Some of the features are better with Cisco, whereas different features are better in Aruba.
We also evaluated Nokia and we found it more difficult to integrate.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution a nine out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner.
Department Leader: Project Leadership Production Compact at SKODA AUTO a.s.
Scales well, good technical support, but stability could improve
Pros and Cons
- "The technical support we have experienced has been good."
- "The solution could be more stable."
What is our primary use case?
We have many computers that we have connected to this network device.
What needs improvement?
In the future, Cisco Wireless WAN could improve its ability to expand.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution could be more stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I have found the scalability to be good. We have approximately 200 people using the solution in my organization and we have plans to increase usage.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support we have experienced has been good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Ubiquiti previously and this solution is more stable.
How was the initial setup?
The installation is straightforward.
What about the implementation team?
Our IT department is approximately 50 people and we have a team of five technicians that do the implementation and maintenance of the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
There is a license that is needed for the use of this solution.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend this solution to others.
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a seven out of ten.
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Principal Engineer at a tech services company with 501-1,000 employees
Enhanced reliability and authentication with room for licensing improvements
Pros and Cons
- "Wireless assurance has significantly improved network reliability."
- "There needs to be an adjustment in subscription licenses and their pricing."
What is our primary use case?
I am a solutions architect primarily dealing with networking and security matters. I recommend Cisco Wireless WAN to customers, particularly larger businesses.
What is most valuable?
Wireless assurance has significantly improved network reliability. Additionally, certificate-based authentication has been critical for my customers' operations.
What needs improvement?
There needs to be an adjustment in subscription licenses and their pricing. Buying the hardware and then managing Cisco renewals incurs a CapEx and also a yearly OpEx expense, which causes a struggle.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for a long time, approximately ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I'd rate the product nine out of ten for stability.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable and adapts well to scaling needs as businesses grow.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support by Cisco is very good. We have no issues with it.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Wireless WAN can be competitive in terms of pricing but may also be a bit pricey at times. The main issue is the license renewals and subscriptions, which can be expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
There are many competitors like HP with Aruba and Juniper. Huawei or other Chinese companies provide options, and Fortinet also has access points.
What other advice do I have?
I generally recommend Cisco Wireless WAN to other businesses except for small business owners due to the cost factor. They could consider other cost-effective products. It would be beneficial to see more AI integration in troubleshooting and network visibility.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclosure: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer: Partner
Last updated: Nov 8, 2024
Flag as inappropriateIT & Application Manager at JV
Great concept and typically helpful technical support but can be complex to deploy
Pros and Cons
- "The product can scale well."
- "We did have issues with the product that made us concerned about the overall stability."
What is our primary use case?
We are a hotel. We primarily use the solution for wireless access for the hotel and for accommodations.
What is most valuable?
The stability is okay.
The product can scale well.
Technical support can be helpful.
Overall, the concept of the solution is great.
What needs improvement?
The initial setup is somewhat complex.
I need to look deeper into the DNA of the solution before making any suggestions for the solution. I need to do more research.
Sometimes you do not get a good person helping you with technical support.
We did have issues with the product that made us concerned about the overall stability.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
For us, we have some power issues, and we returned many items due to power issues. There may be some models that have some problems with the power. I'm not sure about this, however, when we used some, Cisco responded clearly and they replaced them. However, this experience made us concerned about the overall stability potential.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is okay. A company can expand it if they need to.
We have over 700 people using the solution currently. They cover all types of roles and at different levels.
We likely will increase usage in the future. I already issued a purchase order to make an incremental increase to the current wireless resolution. That will be something like 5% or 7%.
How are customer service and support?
In many cases, technical support is excellent. In some cases, however, they are not confident enough. They are following a checklist more than problem-solving in some cases. They repeat the same solution many times without results. The tickets are open for a long time. That said, in many cases, they are excellent.
How was the initial setup?
We found the initial setup to be a bit complex. It was not simple or straightforward. I'd rate my experience with the process, at a four out of five.
We deployed the solution over the course of two years.
What about the implementation team?
We both had a vendor assist us and had our in-house team handle some elements of the installation. We did not have a good experience with the third-party service provider.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost was a mix between the license, manpower, and hardware. It was different from layer to layer. The hard costs are only 45% of the actual costs.
What other advice do I have?
I use two different versions of the solution.
Would rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclosure: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Manager - IT at a aerospace/defense firm with 1,001-5,000 employees
Easy to set up and configure, and the technical support is nice
Pros and Cons
- "The most valuable feature is the ease of configuration."
- "The prices are high and should be reduced in order to be more competitive."
What is our primary use case?
This product makes up part of our wireless network infrastructure.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature is the ease of configuration. Most of the questions one would have about setup are already identified in the troubleshooting guide.
The user interface is ok.
What needs improvement?
The prices are high and should be reduced in order to be more competitive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for more than five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
In the five years that we have used it, we haven't had any problems. It has now reached end-of-life.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is very nice and we don't have any issues with it. We have about 500 users across the entire staff. They work in HR, admin, production, operations, and other roles.
How are customer service and technical support?
The technical support is very nice and we have no issues with it.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We have traditionally used Cisco and are finally now changing because of the price.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is okay. It takes about three months to implement.
What about the implementation team?
Our in-house team handled the deployment. No maintenance is required any longer, although we have two IT people who are able to manage it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
With the increase in the price of this product, we will instead be replacing it with another vendor. It was a one-time fee and there are no costs in addition to this.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We are evaluating other solutions that are most cost-effective. Cisco is more expensive than either Aruba or SonicWall.
What other advice do I have?
Whatever they have in this product is already the best in the market, and I recommend it for people who can afford it.
I would rate this solution a nine 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.

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