Aruba Instant vs D-Link Wireless comparison

Hewlett Packard Enterprise and D-Link are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Hewlett Packard Enterprise is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.6, while D-Link is ranked #16 with an average rating of 8.0. Hewlett Packard Enterprise holds a 2.3% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to D-Link’s 2.1% mindshare. Additionally, 97% of Hewlett Packard Enterprise users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 93% of D-Link users who would recommend it.

Aruba Instant

Read 52 Aruba Instant reviews

2,219 Views
2,130 Comparison Views

97% willing to recommend

D-Link Wireless

Read 17 D-Link Wireless reviews

2,035 Views
2,035 Comparison Views

93% willing to recommend

Aruba Instant

D-Link Wireless

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

D-Link Wireless and Aruba Instant are competing products within the wireless networking market. D-Link Wireless has the upper hand in customer satisfaction due to its pricing and effective support services, while Aruba Instant leads with its advanced features that justify its higher cost.

Features: D-Link Wireless emphasizes user-friendly connectivity, reliable performance, and affordability. Aruba Instant offers cutting-edge technology, sophisticated network management, and robust security features, making it appealing to users seeking advanced technical capabilities.

Room for Improvement: D-Link Wireless could enhance its feature set to better compete with higher-end solutions, improve scalability options for larger deployments, and expand integration capabilities. Aruba Instant could offer more competitive pricing, simplify its setup process for less tech-savvy users, and provide basic features without requiring additional costs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: D-Link Wireless provides straightforward setup and responsive support, ideal for basic deployments. Aruba Instant offers a comprehensive deployment experience with in-depth support, catered to complex networking environments, and excelling in customer service for demanding needs.

Pricing and ROI: D-Link Wireless offers a budget-friendly initial investment with a solid ROI for basic network requirements. Aruba Instant, while initially more expensive, provides higher ROI over time due to its enhanced capabilities and resilience, which are attractive to those seeking long-term value through advanced functionality.

To learn more, read our detailed Aruba Instant vs. D-Link Wireless Report (Updated: February 2026).

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. D-Link Wireless

February 2026

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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

11th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

6.2

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

D-Link Wireless

Ranking in Wireless LAN

16th

Average Rating

8.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.9

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Aruba Instant is 2.3%, up from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of D-Link Wireless is 2.1%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Aruba Instant	2.3%
D-Link Wireless	2.1%
Other	95.6%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

SreejeshSoman

Technical Consultant at Vertex Techno Solutions (B) Pvt Ltd

Has supported mid-market deployments with cloud-based centralized management and reliable wireless performance

I faced challenges earlier with a limitation of 50 APs in single sites, but that has enhanced to 100 numbers, eliminating that challenge for Aruba Instant On team. Additionally, some features are not listed in the cloud management platform and still require offline access, so enhancing the cloud management features would be better for us.

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NadirShahzad

System Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees

Wireless projects run smoothly with more access point support and competitive pricing

D-Link Wireless offers more supported APs to the WLC with the default license compared to other brands like Cisco. With Cisco, only four to five APs are connected with the default license, but D-Link Wireless provides more flexibility. Local support in Pakistan is necessary for those with limited budgets, creating a reach in the market.

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

"The most beneficial features for network management are the price and the cloud console."

"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."

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

"We like being able to merge Aruba Instant to mobile via Bluetooth. You are also able to perform a lot of functions remotely such as creating an SSID IP."

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

"The product's initial setup phase was straightforward, considering that the tool offers a ZTP feature."

"I've worked with other products, but I prefer Aruba because of its cost and simplicity."

"The integration with ClearPass is the most valuable feature."

More Aruba Instant pros

"The connectivity is good."

"The initial setup process was easy."

"It is a scalable solution. Scalability-wise, I rate the solution a ten out of ten."

"This product is user-friendly and we can manage it as per the requirements of the user."

"This is an affordable product that offers good performance. This is why it is popular with our customers. It offers good speed and bandwidth."

"I like the product's signal continuity and range. We can receive the signal up to 20-30 meters from the wireless antenna."

"The setup process is very easy."

"Overall, I rate D-Link Wireless nine out of ten as a solution."

More D-Link Wireless pros

Cons

"There is a problem in the preferred portal access points when I'm using the portal."

"In a corporate environment or a larger network, where more advanced filtering or MAC-based filtering is needed, I don't think the IAPs would be sufficient."

"Although built-in troubleshooting tools are available, they are not at all intuitive to use. Aruba Instant lacks decent documentation to use for troubleshooting wireless issues (fortunately there aren’t many)."

"Aruba Instant's visibility, firewalling, L3 functionality, and DHCP services could all be improved."

"The reach of the solution could be improved. It could be a bit stronger."

"They could offer a new model for access points that are outdoors."

"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."

More Aruba Instant cons

"Sometimes we configure the SSID with a password but the same AP shows two WiFi connections with the same SSID name (one is protected by a password and another one give access without a password)."

"The cloud managed solution needs improvement, and they should focus on the SD-WAN segment with regard to integration."

"The support offered by the product needs to be faster with better technical personnel."

"The solution's performance could be improved."

"D-Link Wireless should include the 'cleaner' feature similar to Cisco's APs. This feature reduces signal interference with access points."

"It would definitely help if we had more advanced features for distributing bandwidth."

"The stability could be a bit better."

"The only issue is with the controller visibility of the devices connecting to the network."

More D-Link Wireless cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Some aspect of the price of Aruba Instant is very economical because if the customer is requiring more features the customer needs to pay a higher amount."

"We only pay for the support and the contract licenses from Aruba Instant."

"I rate the product’s pricing a two out of ten."

"The tool's pricing is neither cheap nor expensive."

"I purchased the hardware and there are no monthly or yearly licenses to buy."

"In terms of costs, Aruba Instant is cheap because it doesn't require a license, but you'll incur charges for the access points. Access point charges could be more affordable."

"The licensing cost is somewhere around $20,000."

"We pay about $300 per access point."

More Aruba Instant pricing and cost advice

"On a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap and ten is very expensive, I rate the pricing an eight out of ten."

"D-Link pricing is very competitive when you consider other OEMs."

"D-Link Wireless' price is the same as Aruba's. You need to pay one-time costs for the product."

"The cost can range from $100 to $400."

"The product is affordable."

"This solution is more affordable than others on the market."

"D-Link Wireless is cheaper than Ruckus or Cisco."

"There is no licensing fee for the solution."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Comms Service Provider

11%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Healthcare Company

Construction Company

13%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Educational Organization

10%

Comms Service Provider

10%

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	31
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	14

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	7
Large Enterprise	2

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...

See all answers

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...

See all answers

Which wireless solution would you choose - Huawei or D-Link?

Huawei wireless is a strong and solid product that has a lot of features - and for all that it offers, it happens to be very cost effective. As a wireless solution, it is simple and its user interf...

See all answers

What do you like most about D-Link Wireless?

The tool supports new technologies.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Wireless?

D-Link Wireless is notably more affordable than Cisco and Juniper. It suits SMB needs without the financial burden of purchasing additional licenses for extended APs.

See all answers

Comparisons

Omada Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 19% of the time

Aruba Instant On Access Points vs Aruba Instant

Compared 13% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Aruba Instant

Compared 11% of the time

Huawei Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 8% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Aruba Instant

Compared 8% of the time

More Aruba Instant Competitors

Huawei Wireless vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 32% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 10% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 9% of the time

Ubiquiti WLAN vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 7% of the time

Omada Access Points vs D-Link Wireless

Compared 7% of the time

More D-Link Wireless Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant

February 2026

Download Aruba Instant product report

Buyer's Guide

D-Link Wireless

February 2026

Download D-Link Wireless product report

Also Known As

No data available

D-Link 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

D-Link Wireless offers a wide range of robust wireless Access Points (APs) operating in both the 2.4GHz and 5GHz frequency bands, supporting the latest wireless standards including 802.11ac and 802.11n. These access points can be managed independently as standalone devices, or collectively by using Central Wi-Fi Manager, a free centralized controller software that can be installed on a Windows server or PC.

D-Link

Sample Customers

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

Metropolitan Public Defender, Mission Motorcycles

Buyer's Guide

Aruba Instant vs. D-Link Wireless

February 2026

Free Report: Aruba Instant vs. D-Link Wireless

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