Aruba Instant vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Cisco are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #9 with an average rating of 8.4, while Cisco is ranked #4 with an average rating of 8.4. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.0% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Cisco’s 12.7% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Cisco users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant

Read 51 Aruba Instant reviews

2,580 Views
1,987 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Read 119 Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN reviews

14,622 Views
11,932 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2025

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN and Aruba Instant compete in the wireless networking space. Cisco Meraki may have an edge with its ease of use and rich feature set for organizations with diverse networking needs, complemented by a centralized cloud-based management. However, Aruba Instant appeals to smaller and mid-sized businesses with its cost-effectiveness and simplicity.

Features: Cisco Meraki offers centralized cloud-based management through an intuitive dashboard, simplifying configuration, monitoring, and reporting. It provides excellent network visibility and security with Layer 7 protections and is known for straightforward deployment. Aruba Instant is notable for its ease of setup and management without needing a controller, strong mobility support, and the ability to integrate easily with other tools, making it suitable for smaller IT teams.

Room for Improvement: Cisco Meraki could benefit from more detailed error logs, better technical support, and increased integration with other Cisco products. Enhancements in customization and advanced routing features are also desired. Aruba Instant faces challenges with IoT compatibility and requires more robust troubleshooting tools and comprehensive documentation. Improving technical support response times would also be beneficial.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Meraki excels in its easy deployment process with cloud management, providing flexibility for various environments. Customer service is strong, although technical support receives mixed reviews. Aruba Instant offers straightforward deployment, appealing to small to medium businesses, and supports both hybrid and on-premises setups. Customer service is reliable, although technical support proficiency could be improved for complex issues.

Pricing and ROI: Cisco Meraki is perceived as expensive due to licensing that can terminate service if not renewed, although it provides solid ROI with advanced features and management ease. Aruba Instant is more cost-effective, praised for its affordable pricing and lack of licensing fees, delivering significant ROI for organizations prioritizing straightforward solutions and minimal operating costs.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant vs. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Report (Updated: April 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

April 2025

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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

Ranking in Wireless LAN

9th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.4

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Ranking in Wireless LAN

4th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

5.1

Number of Reviews

119

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of May 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.0%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is 12.7%, up from 12.2% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

Prashant-Patel

Senior Presales Consultant - Networking Solutions at Mannai

A highly stable and easy-to-deploy solution that is free and provides excellent deployment guides

The setup is very straightforward. There is no complexity at all. It took us 15 minutes. We need IP address details, DNS, a gateway, DHCP servers, and SSIDs. Single access points can act as controller-based, controller-less, and cloud-based solutions. That is the beauty of Aruba. If I have an on-premise solution and want to move to the cloud, I don't need separate hardware. The same hardware can be utilized in the cloud. The deployment guides that we get from Aruba are excellent. We have every piece of detail.

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RezaPradipta

Sr. Officer Network Managed Service Product Management at PT. Indosat Tbk

Streamline network management with a unified dashboard for seamless device integration

The primary use case for Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is mostly for enterprise wireless, including guest Wi-Fi and enterprise Wi-Fi. I use it across various industries with a focus on retail Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers a single pane of glass management. It only comes with a controller on the…

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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

"Has many advanced features: Built-in firewall, local radius, application visibility and control, not locked into support agreements."

"The central management of multiple devices is the solution's most valuable aspect."

"The solution provides a very good end-user experience."

"The quick setup and automatic code embedded in one access point is really useful."

"If you don't need heavy-duty filtering and things like that, it's a cheap solution. And, you have central management, and it works."

"The simplicity of the dashboard is one of the most valuable features. It's easy to use, and manage and the security features are robust. We can block unauthorized connections and create secure SSIDs."

"Works automatically in terms of setup with the product finding its master wifi access point."

"You don't have to deal with licenses."

More Aruba Instant pros

"The ability to manage it remotely is the most valuable. If it has an internet connection, you can get to it. It is a great product for remote clinics. We kind of thought about doing this kind of standalone technology. Meraki is easy to manage. From a management perspective, it is the easiest to use, especially in the cloud. I like Meraki. I even have it in my home."

"It is more robust for me to deploy networks. And because of the field we are in where offices open up and others close, it helps my turnaround time to deploy these networks for the customers."

"The most valuable feature is cloud management."

"For Meraki, the ease of deployment and management is most valuable."

"The solution is fast."

"I have found it to be stable."

"The solution's most valuable features at that time were the ease of managing on the cloud without having a server and the authentication using RADIUS integrated with the server on the cloud."

"It is very handy to have a support number to call."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN pros

Cons

"An important missing feature is the console port, which allows direct management without the cloud."

"The captive portal through Facebook doesn't work."

"The product's high cost is an area where improvements are required."

"It uses a different portal and has limitations from the customer side as it's not refined for MSP."

"The tool's support quality has changed since HPE acquired it. It is also impossible to tell the log dates."

"I think that the next release should offer IP phone security/firewall."

"I think they're missing roadmaps to the partners and the customers. They're releasing the products, but there are no quick updates to the partners and the customers."

"The only issue we've had is getting equipment supplies. The availability of the APs that I want to use has been an issue. It took almost two months to get them the first time. I've ordered a few more for another client, and they're still on back order. It has been over a month now."

More Aruba Instant cons

"Its pricing could be better."

"The biggest pain point is that they limit you through firewall throughput. I understand why they do it, but that really grates me. For instance, for 450 Mbps throughput, you're looking at £800 for a router, whereas if you look at the one gig connection, for some of us are lucky enough to have a gig connection, you could almost be spending £3,000 for the option to have one gig connectivity. That's one of the pain points I've got. I don't mind paying for throughput, but I should at least have the option to be able to update that throughput, maybe through extra licensing or something else. It is crazy expensive to jump through to the next one."

"When it comes to switching, Meraki lacks categories of features."

"It's performing well, really well. We don't have any issues. We only have issues if there is a lot of rogue APs in the neighborhood and that not Meraki's fault."

"There is a processing limitation when you have multiple SSIDs, above three or four."

"The user interface needs to be improved."

"They should introduce a grace period of 60 days after license expiry because as it is now, it automatically goes down and there is no grace period."

"Licensing is, in my opinion, the least appealing component. It can be difficult to keep licenses up to date in order for the system to function properly."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I would rate the pricing a five out of ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive."

"We pay about $300 per access point."

"The product has increased its pricing by at least 30 percent."

"The product is competitively priced"

"The pricing is reasonable."

"The customers do not have to pay for licensing."

"Two years ago, I paid INR 12,000 for access points, but now, I will have to pay double the amount, which comes up to INR 24,000, making it a costly product."

"The cost was affordable."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"As is always the case, the price could be better, although I do not recall exactly how much this comes out to."

"Cisco Meraki requires either a one year or three year license for a standard enterprise license."

"Its price is okay for an enterprise. Its licensing is the most painful. If you hear anything bad about Cisco, it's about that. We're supposed to be one of the resellers but had to come back down to become a user. It's really bizarre."

"The platform is highly priced."

"I haven't conducted a price comparison yet, but based on information, it appears to be more affordable than the current environment. Therefore, I consider the price to be reasonable."

"The price is good, but it could be improved."

"On a scale from one to ten, where one is cheap and ten is expensive, I rate the solution's pricing a seven out of ten."

"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."

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN pricing and cost advice

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

15%

Comms Service Provider

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Computer Software Company

19%

Manufacturing Company

Financial Services Firm

Comms Service Provider

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

Questions from the Community

Which is better - Ubiquiti WLAN or Aruba Instant?

We researched Ubiquiti and Aruba when looking for a WLAN solution. Ubiquiti offers good WLAN access both indoors and outdoors. It provides an enterprise-level WIFI while remaining cost-effective. U...

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What do you like most about Aruba Instant?

I find network management features related to monitoring Wi-Fi usage and visited sites particularly valuable. Content filtering is also important to prevent access to malicious or inappropriate web...

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

In my experience, Aruba Instant's price is reasonable compared to premium products like Ruckus, Cisco, or Juniper. However, when compared to entry-level market segments, the price is higher. Overal...

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What are pros and cons of Aruba 515 Series AP vs. Cisco Meraki or Extreme Networks?

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 expe...

See all answers

Which is better - Cisco Wireless or Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN?

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 helpe...

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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...

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Comparisons

Omada Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 40% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 12% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 10% of the time

ExtremeCloud IQ vs Aruba Instant

Compared 6% of the time

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 5% of the time

More Aruba Instant Competitors

Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 32% of the time

Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 15% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 11% of the time

Ubiquiti Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 7% of the time

Fortinet FortiWLM vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

Compared 2% of the time

More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

May 2025

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

May 2025

Download Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN product report

Also Known As

No data available

MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN

Overview

Aruba Instant delivers the only controllerless Wi-Fi solution that is easy to set-up, and loaded with security and smarts needed to accelerate your business without breaking your budget.

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

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.

Cisco

Sample Customers

Purdue University, Orlando Magic, Brussels Airport Company, Molecaten Holiday Parks

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

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

April 2025

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN

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