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Aruba Wireless vs Ubiquiti UniFi comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

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 Wireless
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
151
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (1st)
Ubiquiti UniFi
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.6
Number of Reviews
12
Ranking in other categories
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Aruba Wireless is designed for Wireless LAN and holds a mindshare of 12.3%, down 17.1% compared to last year.
Ubiquiti UniFi, on the other hand, focuses on Wi-Fi Hotspot Software, holds 26.8% mindshare, down 34.0% since last year.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Aruba Wireless12.3%
Ruckus Wireless10.8%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN9.3%
Other67.6%
Wireless LAN
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Ubiquiti UniFi26.8%
Purple WiFi35.0%
Guest Internet Solutions27.5%
Other10.700000000000003%
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software
 

Featured Reviews

CK
Network Administrator at Nippon Express Canada Ltd.
Wireless network has supported long-term reliable access and simplifies RF optimization
I have experience with Cisco products and the Cisco brand. The product is mainly a hardware product. Regarding the software part, I don't have a lot of experience. Aruba Wireless was not too difficult to set up. When compared with other products such as Cisco, they also have products with wireless controllers, and it's similar to that. I think it should be recommended for both bigger and smaller companies based on the feedback and our experience. I believe there should be AI functions that might help us in some cases of cybersecurity matters, detecting threats regarding security would be better with AI. For this role, I have more than twenty years of experience. I would rate Aruba Wireless eight out of ten overall.
NN
IT Manager at Handi Quilter, Inc.
Has provided reliable long-term video storage without ongoing fees
You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic. They previously provided setup support but discontinued this service, though you save money overall by not paying monthly fees. I would rate Ubiquiti UniFi's support zero because they've always had inadequate support. Trying to get someone on the phone is nearly impossible, and although they now have a support plan, emergency help is frustratingly difficult to find when the company doesn't provide it.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Once you factor in the lifetime warranty, it's cheaper and not bad feature-wise."
"Its graphical user interface is designed to be user-friendly, making work more efficient."
"Aruba Wireless includes automated RF optimization capabilities."
"Overall, it's a very strong solution."
"Aruba is easier than Juniper."
"APs are very easy to configure to the network once they contact the controller."
"Reasonably priced and great for small to medium size organizations."
"Customer Service: It's excellent. Technical Support: It's excellent."
"Firmware can be pushed or manually updated."
"The cloud management has revolutionized the way we provide services to clients, onsite trips have almost ceased and once complicated changes are made in minutes."
"The solution is easy to configure, low cost, and reliable."
"The cloud management has revolutionized the way we provide services to clients, onsite trips have almost ceased and once complicated changes are made in minutes."
"Business is growing due to referrals."
"The advantage of Ubiquiti UniFi is that you can have on-premise storage and avoid all cloud fees, allowing you to keep building your storage, adding more video storage units, and store video for up to three years and nine months without paying external fees."
"The most valuable features are its easy access, the controller, and constant updates."
"The solution is very stable."
 

Cons

"Aruba Wireless could improve the dashboard. It is not straightforward or intuitive to use and could be more user-friendly. For IT employees the dashboards are fine but when it comes to the end-user it is difficult. The Mobility Controller dashboard is not meant for non-IT employees."
"Aruba Wireless technical support is too slow, or it used to be. For example, to test a domain in Mexico, they would spend about three months."
"The solution's documentation could be better organized in an information portal."
"Before HP bought Aruba, the release dates for codes were very predictable and quick. But since HP's acquisition, normal and quarterly release dates have been delayed, probably because of continued integration between the two companies."
"I would like to be able to customize Captive Portals."
"A lot of the access point commands are in the command line interface, versus being in the GUI."
"We needed the help of network consultants to complete the setup for us."
"The certification for licensing could be better."
"If I could manage the W-LAN or other items without a UniFi switch, that would be very helpful."
"The level of support is limited. When I am stuck with any technical issues, it takes a long time to fix."
"Better pre-purchase docs, as I have to contact support via chat for some things that should already be in documents."
"Better pre-purchase docs, as I have to contact support via chat for some things that should already be in documents."
"You pay more upfront for Ubiquiti UniFi, but you don't receive substantial support, which is problematic."
"A more powerful heatmapping application in the controller would assist in more reliable WiFi modeling."
"The one bad part, it is almost nonexistent and relies on a user community."
"Software interfaces could be improved and there is a lack of documentation."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The price of Aruba Wireless has a more competitive price than other solutions."
"The price is reasonable."
"A recent change is that ClearPass licensing is superb. It counts user-based instead of device-based, for BYOD on-boarding."
"The price of Aruba Wireless is reasonable."
"In terms of pricing, the pricing for Aruba Wireless is not bad for large-sized companies, but for medium-sized companies, it's on the higher end, but because Aruba has a good company image, medium-sized companies still go with Aruba Wireless."
"I think they should lower their prices."
"The price could be better. Competitors offer more features for a similar cost."
"The pricing is fair and similar to other products."
Information not available
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Comparison Review

it_user212721 - PeerSpot reviewer
President at a tech services company with 51-200 employees
Mar 24, 2015
Cisco vs. Aruba Wireless Solutions
Cisco or Aruba Networks? If you are considering wireless access solutions, this is a common question that you are probably asking. You probably have sales people knocking at your door. How do you make sense of all the stories that you are presented with. If you have done any research, you are…
 

Answers from the Community

Vinny Govender - PeerSpot reviewer
Technical Applications Specialist at bioMérieux
Jul 26, 2022
Jul 26, 2022
1 Ruckus 2 Aruba 3 Cambium It depends on your enviroment. Greetings
2 out of 9 answers
AH
IT Admin at a educational organization with 51-200 employees
Nov 15, 2021
Hi, You can purchase WiFi access points from any of the above vendors. But it must be a commercial access point as in AP a few connect to the limited devices and a few can connect large devices with a single AP. It will totally depend on your work environment and access point signals covering the area. In the hall, AP can cover a large area but there is a concrete wall between two rooms or a corridor then it can down the signal to 50 DBM. So, when deciding on a WIFI/AP keep all these things in mind.
EK
Partner / Owner at Bimel Elektronik Mamuller Paz. Ltd.
Nov 15, 2021
If you want high performance and stability, you should definitely go with Ruckus Wireless.  Ruckus Wireless APs have: - Adaptive antenna technology (called BeamFlex) This technology analyzes different paths to reach the client and electronically turns itself to a directional antenna, choosing the path that gives the best performance to reach each specific client. If the client is mobile or if the environment changes (such as a warehouse) the selection of paths/direction also changes instantly. Transmitting in a directional way allows a good Signal-to-Noise Ratio and also causes less interference for other nearby APs outside the path of the directional transmission. - ChannelFly technology This technology chooses the best channel based on performance rather than background scanning for noise. - Polarization Diversity This technology allows the clients not to lose signal strength when held at different angles (important for mobile devices such as tablets and telephones). - Better receive sensitivity compared to the competitors All these features make Ruckus Wireless a better choice than any other competitor (better performance, better coverage area, more stable and surprise-free communication especially in not so easy conditions such as noise, too many clients, too much traffic).
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
7%
Comms Service Provider
7%
Comms Service Provider
14%
Computer Software Company
10%
Financial Services Firm
6%
University
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business77
Midsize Enterprise47
Large Enterprise77
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise1
 

Questions from the Community

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...
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...
How does Cisco Wireless compare with Aruba Wireless?
On the most basic level, Cisco Wireless can offer a rather straightforward initial setup. In the span of about three hours, the basic framework can be set up. Step-by-step instructions are availabl...
What needs improvement with Ubiquiti UniFi?
The major issue I see is connected with troubleshooting, which is my main concern. Troubleshooting capabilities are limited, and some advanced features are missing. For example, enterprise Wi-Fi so...
What is your primary use case for Ubiquiti UniFi?
My major use case for Ubiquiti UniFi is enterprise Wi-Fi.
What advice do you have for others considering Ubiquiti UniFi?
I currently work with Fortinet products like FortiGate and FortiSwitch, though I do not have experience with FortiAP in the past two years. I am planning to buy the FortiSwitch Data Center in a few...
 

Also Known As

Aruba WLAN, HP WLAN, HP Wireless, Aruba Instant On AP Series Access Point
UniFi
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Consulate Health Care, Los Angeles Unified School District, Science Applications International Corp (SAIC), San Diego State University, KFC, ACTS Retirement-Life Communities
NASCAR Grand-AM, Maritime Parc, Outdoor Music Festival, One Republic Tour, British Armed Forces, Arcadia School District, Bartlett School District, Universidad del Azuay, Estelar Hotels, Intercontinental Bali, Moscow - Enforta, Miami - Sling Broadband, Manhattan - MST, Ecuador - Aire.EC
Find out what your peers are saying about Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Ruckus, Cisco and others in Wireless LAN. Updated: May 2026.
893,244 professionals have used our research since 2012.