Aruba Access Points vs Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points comparison

Aruba Access Points vs. Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Download the complete report

Helped 884,797 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Aruba Access Points

Ranking in Wireless LAN

6th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access ...

Ranking in Wireless LAN

21st

Average Rating

9.6

Reviews Sentiment

5.8

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Featured Reviews

Hurmi-Jürjens

Telecommunication Engineer at Ministry of Education and Research of Estonia

Wireless connectivity has remained reliable and supports flexible, cloud‑independent management

As I already mentioned, the ability to stay with self-hosting solutions for central management is what I think could be improved about Aruba Access Points. If this becomes available in the future, I think it should change the game. However, I don't currently see this because I see nothing about AirWave anymore on your roadmap. I don't understand what happens next. There are some problems in assessing the performance of Aruba Access Points in environments with high user density. If there is a dense environment, a mobility controller would be the one you should go with because this needs more telemetry to calculate. I suspect this will be easier to do with local administration or local management because if everything goes over the internet through Aruba Central, it takes time. Every decision the central management makes takes extra latency to send over to the local area network. I think this is not a good approach to move to central management that is hosted somewhere far away. It should still retain the functionality to use Instant AP functionality that is available until 500 and maybe 600 as well. If you go to software version 10 and future versions, then you lose this functionality and you can't go back anymore. It would be good to assist with local location management and BLE-based functionalities as additional features I expect from future Aruba Access Points. There were some attempts to support third-party integrations through cooperation between Aruba and Meridian. However, I don't understand what happened there, and nothing is clear in this area. IoT will also be very important for people. You should add functionality to the platform that will support third-party IoT devices.

Read full review

Syed Aathif Hussain

Principal Associate IT at a tech services company with 10,001+ employees

Has improved wireless connectivity by supporting high user density and signal reliability

Catalyst 9100 Access Points reduce network vulnerabilities. The frequency reuse technology is used in Wi-Fi 6 technology. The devices are nowadays intelligent compared to the legacy devices. They communicate with each other, adapt themselves, and improve the quality of Wi-Fi infrastructure connectivity within the premise. They are more robust and adaptable. They have significantly improved wireless connectivity compared to the legacy environment. The legacy environment was not effective with those kinds of algorithms, whereas Catalyst 9100 Access Points have different inbuilt features and are more optimized and adaptable to situations. Catalyst 9100 Access Points provide Wi-Fi connection to end users, similar to home routers with broadband connectivity. When a technician connects the device to the modem, it starts providing Wi-Fi. The configuration is inbuilt, requiring only an IP address to operate. It listens to the wireless controller, and whatever SSID is configured in the controller will be broadcasting. Catalyst 9100 Access Points are next-generation access points without the limitations of legacy access points. They have better reachability, signal strength, power utilization, and scalability. While legacy access points could accommodate 15 users practically, Catalyst 9100 Access Points can reach up to 40 or 50 users simultaneously on different radios with MIMO technology. There are different models of Catalyst 9100 Access Points depending on site requirements. Wi-Fi 6 technology has improved wireless connectivity significantly. Post-pandemic, everything has become hybrid, and wireless network has become an undeniable infrastructure requirement. Previously, LAN cable connectors were used for better speed achievement. Now, Wi-Fi 6 technology has improved wireless connectivity to such an extent that LAN cable connectivity is no longer necessary. Users can work remotely with Wi-Fi connectivity, achieving both speed and scalability. The sixth-generation Wi-Fi provides improved bandwidth and security on wireless infrastructure.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"Aruba Access Points provide further coverage, more coverage, with better throughput and signal strength."

"Aruba Access Points’ most valuable features are network mobility and reliability for network access."

"The controller software, which can control multiple access points remotely, is very convenient."

"I would rate the stability a nine out of ten. It is a stable product."

"The main advantage of Aruba Access Points is their on-premises controllers, and the solution is not complex but rather user-friendly and easy to use— even without a controller, small networks can be established for SMB environments."

"We like the flexibility and the security, and the product is very easy to use."

"The product’s most valuable feature is its ability to offer wireless connectivity to any service provider."

"The solution's support, stability, scalability, and good redundancy features are beneficial for our network management."

More Aruba Access Points pros

"Wi-Fi 6 technology has improved wireless connectivity to such an extent that LAN cable connectivity is no longer necessary, allowing users to work remotely with Wi-Fi connectivity while achieving both speed and scalability."

"The features in Catalyst 9100 Access Points that I have found most valuable include that it's a complete solution; we go with Cisco because you have access points, you have a controller, you have Cisco ISE, and you have Cisco DNA Center."

"The reliability of Cisco is the number one aspect I have seen, and the performance is pretty stable."

Cons

"The product should improve its integration and the grouping of the features and functions."

"The support from Aruba, as well as the overall HPE unit, has been lacking. The regional head and hepatic services are nonresponsive, leading to a decline in market share. While Aruba is recognized for its top-notch quality, especially in switching technology, the services and support in the African region need significant improvement. There is a suggestion to focus on enhancing services, support, and presale activities in this region to address the challenges faced by customers, particularly in healthcare. Continued emphasis on research and development, along with addressing regional issues, is recommended for sustained success."

"I would appreciate for the higher-end models to offer the same signal strength as the older, smaller models, even while maintaining the latest standards, as this would enhance the overall network performance and coverage."

"If the port is damaged, then Aruba Access Points don't work properly."

"Going with a cloud solution will make dependency no longer a challenge from a connectivity point of view."

"The product's prices are an area of concern. The product should be available at a lower price point."

"In Aruba Access Points, the security part is an area of concern where improvements are required."

"The product should provide more coverage."

More Aruba Access Points cons

"Frankly, ease of use is one of the things that needs improvement, as the management interfaces have always been complex and not very intuitive."

"Technical support from Cisco has been a bit degraded lately because the first support we get is challenging."

"Theoretically, you can connect up to 100 clients simultaneously, but practically, this is not feasible. There will be bandwidth deterioration, and 100 clients using the same bandwidth will impact the quality of service."

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The tool's pricing is not expensive. It is perfect as per the features."

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The solution is expensive and licensing costs are yearly. Customers have to pay extra costs for service and subscription apart from the hardware cost."

"I rate the product's price a seven on a scale of one to ten, where one is a high price, and ten is a low price."

"It is a reasonably priced tool."

"There is a need to pay the licensing charges for the product...I feel that it is a moderately priced tool that is available at a price higher than Cisco and Huawei."

"The product is costly and comes with a lifetime license. There is neither renewal nor subscription. It is a one-time solution."

"Users have to pay a licensing fee for Aruba Access Points, which could be cheaper."

More Aruba Access Points pricing and cost advice

Information not available

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

884,797 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Financial Services Firm

No data available

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	21
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	11

No data available

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Access Points?

After we installed the Aruba switches, the work became faster because the network speed improved.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Aruba Access Points?

When comparing pricing between Aruba Access Points and Forti, I find Aruba to be on the higher side.

What needs improvement with Aruba Access Points?

What needs improvement with Catalyst 9100 Access Points?

Frankly, ease of use is one of the things that needs improvement, as the management interfaces have always been complex and not very intuitive. I believe Cisco needs to enhance its visibility solut...

What is your primary use case for Catalyst 9100 Access Points?

We have recently deployed hundreds of access points in the last two years.

What advice do you have for others considering Catalyst 9100 Access Points?

I am currently working with Fortinet, but frankly, I have a team which is more working on Fortinet and other products because I am managing them, so I am a little less hands-on right now. Basically...

Fortinet FortiAP vs Aruba Access Points

Comparisons

Compared 29% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 9% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 9% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 7% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Access Points

Compared 6% of the time

More Aruba Access Points Competitors

Fortinet FortiAP vs Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Compared 22% of the time

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless vs Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Compared 19% of the time

Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points vs Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Compared 13% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Compared 12% of the time

D-Link Wireless vs Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Compared 11% of the time

More Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points Competitors

Product Reports

Aruba Access Points

Download Aruba Access Points product report

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points

Download Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points product report

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points report

Also Known As

No data available

Catalyst 9100 Access Points

Overview

Aruba Access Points are a preferred choice for enterprises, providing efficient wireless connectivity across corporate settings, educational institutions, and healthcare facilities with both indoor and outdoor deployment options.

Aruba Access Points deliver reliable Wi-Fi and network access tailored for enterprise and guest connectivity, supporting IoT devices in diverse environments such as warehouses and offices. They ensure secure connections with features like VPN management and 802.1x authentication, along with flexibility in deployment. Users can benefit from their robust warranty, ease of use, and seamless integration possibilities. The devices facilitate convenient management through both on-premise and cloud solutions, although there is a need for improved coverage, security, and integration features.

What are the standout features of Aruba Access Points?

Virtual Controller: Manages multiple Access Points without additional hardware.
Client Match: Ensures devices connect to the best access point available.
Seamless Roaming: Provides uninterrupted connectivity without drop-offs.
Integration Capabilities: Allows easy incorporation of enterprise wireless solutions.
Advanced Authentication: Offers 802.1x and secure guest access.

What benefits or ROI can users look for?

High Stability: Consistent performance minimizes downtime.
Simple Configuration: Easy setup saves time and resources.
Network Mobility: Supports movement with uninterrupted access.
Visibility: Provides network insights for better management.
Warranty and Support: Offers robust warranty terms.

In specific industries, Aruba Access Points are implemented to enhance patient record access and guest connectivity in healthcare, support interactive learning environments in education, and streamline operations in warehouses with IoT integration. Their deployment aligns with industry-specific requirements, ensuring reliable connectivity and secure access to critical applications.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points deliver cutting-edge performance and security for enterprises seeking reliable wireless connectivity. They cater to both large and small businesses aiming to optimize network infrastructure.

These access points offer robust features tailored for today’s digital workplace. With advanced analytics, enhanced security protocols, and support for high-density environments, Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points provide seamless connectivity across different sectors. Their ability to operate in complex conditions makes them ideal for industries with heavy reliance on data and constant connectivity.

What are the standout features of Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points?

High-Density Support: Efficiently manages large numbers of devices simultaneously.
Advanced Security: Offers WPA3 and segmentation to enhance network protection.
Analytics: Provides insights into network activity to aid in decision-making.
Flexible Deployment: Adapts to indoor and outdoor environments.

What benefits and ROI can you expect from Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points?

Improved Network Efficiency: Better device handling reduces downtime and increases productivity.
Security Assurance: Enhanced measures protect sensitive data.
Cost Savings: Long-term investment with scalable infrastructure reduces upgrade expenses.
Enhanced User Experience: Reliable access ensures consistent connectivity and satisfaction.

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points are implemented in industries like finance, healthcare, and manufacturing. They support high-capacity transactions and critical operations, ensuring uninterrupted service and data flow. These access points meet industry-specific demands for security, scalability, and reliable connectivity.

Cisco

Aruba Access Points vs. Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points