Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Fortinet FortiWLM comparison

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiWLM

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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 Instant On Access Points

Ranking in Wireless LAN

9th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Fortinet FortiWLM

Ranking in Wireless LAN

14th

Average Rating

8.4

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Access Points is 1.1%, up from 1.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 1.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Ricardo Quintero

Infrastructure/Telcom Coordinator at Schnellecke Group AG & Co. KG

Affordable and offers an easy setup phase

I was working on the on-premises solutions, like IronNet, Aironet, and some other tools from Cisco, but not with Meraki. The last Aironet model that we have here in Mexico, in the corporate office, and in some of the other regions of Mexico is Cisco Aironet 3700 and Cisco Aironet 3800, so it is just two or three devices. Aruba Instant On Access Points was working with Aruba 2540 and Cisco 3850 In Cisco, I found some issues. I was working well with a vendor. I was working with Cisco Catalyst 9200 and Cisco Catalyst 9300, along with Cisco Catalyst 2916M XL Switch. With all devices, we got a report. During the immigration, we choose another vendor, which Aruba. We have some issues with Aruba Instant On Access Points in iOS that are targeting the devices, and I have seen some problems with the DHCP solution.

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Mohammad Talha Talkin Alam

Assistant Manager - IT at PDS Limited

Reliable network creation and management with an efficient setup process

My primary use case involves creating SSIDs and defining VLANs within the VLAN using Fortinet FortiWLM. I have been working with Wi-Fi access points for network connectivity I primarily use Fortinet FortiWLM for creating SSIDs and defining VLANs. While there isn't much focus on security, layer…

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Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The coverage Aruba provides across the physical area is much better. Most probably because of the new technology, the 4x4 antenna, and everything around it. It's just a much better, easier to use, and easier to manage product."

"Configuring everything in the cloud with Aruba Central and having all the devices be independent of a centralized controller has made it simple to deploy."

"The roaming feature and connectivity during disconnections are valuable."

"I would recommend Aruba Instant On Access Points to others."

"The most valuable aspect of Unifi switches is the Unifi Controller."

"It's super user-friendly."

"Aruba is much better than other vendors like Cisco and NETGEAR in terms of quality, price, and value for money."

"The solution's most valuable features include a simple deployment phase, easy management, and scalability."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points pros

"At the moment, particularly with the COVID-19 situation, the most valuable feature is probably the IPsec VPN, which is easy to implement with Fortinet."

"Seamless roaming by leveraging Virtual Cell is a major advantage which reduces roam times and issues related to roaming. Code stability has been excellent and the hardware quality is second to none."

"The most valuable feature of the solution is the management."

"Although there are a few steps, the initial setup is pretty straightforward."

"The most valuable features of this solution are its speed, reliability, and integration with the firewall."

"The Fortinet FortiWLM system can be controlled through the cloud controller, which is convenient when the solution is not installed in our environment, as it allows us to manage the entire WiFi or access points and provides more adaptability."

"We can deploy a tunnel-based VLAN and SSID, for something that happens at the last minute, in a matter of minutes, because of the interaction between the FortiGate, the FortiSwitches, and the FortiAPs."

"I found that It's really good when comparing it to any other product or it is much better in terms of features that the customer requires."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pros

Cons

"The security aspect needs improvement."

"It is scalable to a certain degree but not nearly as scalable and robust as your enterprise-grade solutions."

"The challenging point for Aruba Instant On is the roaming capability, as it doesn’t perform as strongly as enterprise solutions."

"I believe there's room for improvement in the validation process, especially for customers facing compliance issues when managing access points from the cloud. It would be beneficial if the access points could also be managed from an on-premises controller. Regarding additional features, customers express interest in enhancing the controller, specifically improving the capability to manage a higher number of access points from the same controller. This feature is crucial for better scalability. Another feature that customers would appreciate is the ability to increase the number of access points. However, the current process for obtaining this permission can be time-consuming, and customers would like to see improvements in this regard."

"The tool's pricing is not good."

"The setup is not very easy. It requires some experience with Wi-Fi, especially with cloud connection and security."

"Software-wise, I would like to have a way of moving APs from site to site and wish there would be a way to add more APs to one site. I know the limit is 25 APs per site and I wish there were more."

"It would be good to integrate some marketing features into Aruba Instant On Access Points, like heat maps. This would allow deployment in warehouses or malls to see how people move from one point to another, helping to locate the original fit."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points cons

"The pricing model can be improved to encourage use by small business and individuals and the hardware could stand to be redesigned."

"The range needs some improvement and also the stability."

"The interface could certainly do with some improvement. We have other customers with WiFi networks, and they always use Ubiquiti. With Ubiquiti, it's a much better user interface, and it is much easier to configure."

"There are currently issues with Fortinet's software quality."

"The platform's pricing needs improvement."

"There is very little publicly available information about Virtual Cell and Single Channel Architecture. Promotion of the overall technology is limited as well. Being more vocal about a product that has many advantages would go a long way to eliminating a lot of the confusion and negative perception about Virtual Cell and Single Channel Architecture."

"In terms of improvements, the price is higher than I would like. A reduction in pricing would be beneficial."

"In the next release, they could improve by adding a controller-less server, or architecture that is provided in other solutions, such as Aruba. This would be a great benefit for customers."

More Fortinet FortiWLM cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."

"You buy it for $165 an AP, which is what we paid."

"It is competitively priced. It was at a price point that made sense for me to put in my home, and that says something. The cost of the solution includes everything we need to manage and upgrade our Wi-Fi network, including the mobile management app. Having the licensing and all the functionality built into the base price of the product is really important for me. There are no extra costs for the security feature or automatic software/firmware updates, which is really important to me."

"I rate the product's pricing a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."

"Aruba Instant On Access Points are license-free. It's a very good and cheap solution for wireless networks. It can be compared with solutions from Ubiquiti and TP-Link, but it is in a different class. Aruba Instant On Access Points are cheaper than those from Cisco, Ruckus, and Motorola. It's perhaps the cheapest one. They do not use licenses, so it is a solution from the box. You don't need to pay extra money or deal with hidden payments."

"The product's price falls on the cheaper end of the spectrum. The price of the product is one of the biggest benefits that it offers."

"It is expensive."

"Its price is fair. It is not really cheap, and it is also not expensive. It is in the middle."

More Aruba Instant On Access Points pricing and cost advice

"In the last few years, due in part to the impact of COVID on the market, Fortinet has increased its prices by 35 percent."

"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."

"Licensing costs are reasonable. There are so many different types of licenses with Fortinet, but the licensing and the 24/7/365 support are so reasonable that I automatically include it with every transaction. I never line item it without it. There are no additional costs."

"Support contracts typically cost approximately $100.00 per year."

"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."

"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."

"The price of Fortinet FortiWLM is reasonable compared to the other vendors. We are using a five-year license."

"Fortinet FortiWLM's pricing is regular and competitive."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Educational Organization

30%

Computer Software Company

Construction Company

Real Estate/Law Firm

Computer Software Company

14%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Aruba Instant On Access Points?

It's really easy to set up. And, you don't have to pay for the cloud solution. That's really interesting for our clients. And the other thing is, the roaming is also quite good.

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

The cost of Aruba Instant On Access Points is reasonable; however, I do not have information on the exact pricing, such as cost per user or annual license fees.

What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Access Points?

We can improve Aruba Instant On Access Points by tuning some of the parameters of the radio. The default configuration can be overridden to enhance performance beyond the default settings.

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiWLM?

The security is a valuable feature.

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?

While the pricing of Fortinet FortiWLM is a bit high, it remains effective. However, the cost could be better if reduced.

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?

In terms of improvements, the price is higher than I would like. A reduction in pricing would be beneficial.

Fortinet FortiAP vs Aruba Instant On Access Points

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Product Reports

Aruba Instant On Access Points

Download Aruba Instant On Access Points product report

Fortinet FortiWLM

Download Fortinet FortiWLM product report

Also Known As

No data available

FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN

Overview

Ingredients for success.

Fast 802.11ac Wave 2, secure employee and guest access, easy-to-use web, and mobile app management.

Say yes to secure Wi-Fi access.

Pre-built access control lists (ACLs) and built-in firewall in the access points prevent malicious traffic from entering your network – we call it “hassle-free” security.

Never drop an important call.

With Instant On, voice and video business applications are automatically prioritized, so you stay connected with your peers.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Consolidate security and wireless LAN management with our integrated wireless solutions. Single-pane-of-glass management for security and access without the need to add point products simplifies deployment and reduces management complexity. These solutions are highly scalable to support even the largest organizations and distributed enterprises.

Fortinet

Sample Customers

Information Not Available

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Fortinet FortiWLM