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Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Ruckus Wireless comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

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
10th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.5
Number of Reviews
32
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Ruckus Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
2nd
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
103
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant On Access Points is 0.9%, down from 1.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Ruckus Wireless is 14.3%, up from 12.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

Ricardo Quintero - PeerSpot reviewer
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.
Xander Janse Van Rensburg - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and high-performance wireless networking with exceptional stability, scalability, and robust feature set
One of the most valuable features I appreciate is auto channelization, facilitated by a proprietary product called ChannelFly. This feature enables APs in a specific zone to automatically adjust their channels, optimizing performance. Additionally, Ruckus Wireless stands out for its ability to reuse certain beams, resulting in smaller data spots. In my experience with various products, Ruckus Wireless consistently delivers unparalleled throughput, coverage, and reliability in wireless networking across different environments. As a noteworthy point, the newly launched WiFi 7 standard is measured against Ruckus's WiFi 7 AP, establishing it as the global benchmark. When it comes to WiFi, Ruckus sets the standard, outperforming competitors with its superior performance and capabilities.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Its technical support is excellent."
"The product's initial setup phase is too easy."
"I would recommend Aruba Instant On Access Points to others."
"The solution's most valuable features include a simple deployment phase, easy management, and scalability."
"The app and the provisioning are the best features of the product. It was really impressive that I was able to just provision it remotely. I didn't have to be on-site with my friend, and we were just able to get everything up and operational. So, the app is great. It sends me notifications when things are down, and it tells me how everything is doing."
"The initial setup is easy."
"The product is incredibly stable and meets our needs excellently."
"The virtual Controller feature is valuable."
"The most valuable feature is the performance. It works great."
"The solution is very user-friendly."
"The product is extremely easy to manage after it is implemented."
"Mesh networking and antenna patterns are the most valuable features of the solution."
"It can work with high-density traffic, and its management system is also good."
"The most valuable feature for me is reliability."
"Key features are integrated WiFi client performance tools, sophisticated user access controls, and easy and understandable controls and interfaces."
"Ruckus Wireless is a reliable solution."
 

Cons

"The solution should include higher speed and lesser cost."
"The tool's pricing is not good."
"It's only suitable for smaller offices. It doesn't scale well."
"The tool is priced high."
"The customer service and support are terrible."
"If there's a way to get a floor map of our office space so we can place the access points on a map to be able to see what's what, where everything is going, where the most traffic is being connected, that would be a nice feature."
"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 setup is not very easy. It requires some experience with Wi-Fi, especially with cloud connection and security."
"The delivery time of the hardware needs to be improved."
"I think it would be nice if Ruckus offered the option of a cloud interface for easy configuration of Ruckus Wireless."
"I would like to see newer on-premises controller-type models, similar to the 3000."
"The pricing needs to be more clear and licensing could be less expensive."
"The price is an area that requires improvement. The pricing could be better."
"The tool needs to incorporate training. Also, it needs to improve the range of coverage."
"Its pricing and licensing can be improved. Its UI can also be more user-friendly. Currently, in the Unleashed mode, the information that you have about the switches that you add to the controller is quite limited. I would like more information regarding switches. In this mode, an access point acts as a controller, so you don't need a controller. It is for deployments with less than 125 access points, and you can use an access point as a controller."
"Ruckus is a bad solution in general. It's pretty old and outdated."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"Its price is fair. It is not really cheap, and it is also not expensive. It is in the middle."
"It's a cost-effective solution."
"The price of Aruba Instant On Access Points is reasonable. They are competitively priced. I've even used it in my home at one time because of the low price."
"I would rate the solution's pricing an eight out of ten."
"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."
"There is a need to make yearly payments towards the standard licensing charges associated with the product. There are some additional costs associated with the product since I have seen customers who purchase three-year or five-year plans."
"I rate the product's pricing a six on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."
"With Ubiquiti, there's no annual cost to keep the software upgraded, whereas with Ruckus, you have to pay an annual fee or three-year fee. That makes it a little more pricey."
"Ruckus Wireless is available at a reasonable price"
"The cost per AP license should be worked on."
"We found it a little more expensive than the other competitors on the market."
"The price is high and I give the price a four out of ten."
"​Pricing is very competitive for an enterprise solution. Regarding licensing, always carry the support contract on the controller (not needed on APs)​."
"​The cost can be prohibitive for many as it is a high-end product in the WiFi market.​"
"It depends on the client. You have an initial license cost that you need to buy to bind the access point with the controller. This is a one-time fee. You also have to pay the support fee that, if I remember correctly, is about $25 per access point. Its pricing and licensing can be improved."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Educational Organization
63%
Computer Software Company
5%
Construction Company
3%
Manufacturing Company
3%
Computer Software Company
14%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

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?
Aruba Instant On Access Points work without a list price, suggesting that they are open source and no additional licensing costs are incurred.
What needs improvement with Aruba Instant On Access Points?
All features already exist in Aruba Instant On Access Points. However, in future updates, more AI for intelligence and the option for a separate network could be beneficial.
Aruba Wireless or Ruckus Wireless?
At my organization, we researched Ruckus Wireless among other solutions but ultimately chose Aruba wireless. What did we like about Ruckus? First, it was very easy to use, and anybody with minimal...
Which is better - Ruckus Wireless or Cisco Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless offers users the benefit of being both easy to set up and get running as well as being very user friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...
How does Ruckus Wireless compare to Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?
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 feat...
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
American University of Sharjah, Baruch College, Centro Escolar Liceo Santo Tomšs, Chevalier College, Chico Unified School District, Colegio de Fomento El Prado, Columbia Public Schools, Delta School District, Dordt College, Douglas County School District, Drew University, Armonea, Central Utah Clinic, Grove Hill Medical Center, Inner South Community Health Service, Midwest Surgical, Satilla Regional Medical Center, Lyndoch Living, Polonus, Roaring Fork School District, Sonora State, Vivid, Sydney, Players Club, Sandals, Scandic Hotels, Sheraton LAX, Sunbird
Find out what your peers are saying about Aruba Instant On Access Points vs. Ruckus Wireless and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.