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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
6.8
Number of Reviews
150
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 13.9%, down 19.1% compared to last year.
Ubiquiti UniFi, on the other hand, focuses on Wi-Fi Hotspot Software, holds 31.8% mindshare, up 29.2% since last year.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Aruba Wireless13.9%
Ruckus Wireless12.8%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN10.5%
Other62.8%
Wireless LAN
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ubiquiti UniFi31.8%
Purple WiFi30.4%
Guest Internet Solutions26.4%
Other11.400000000000006%
Wi-Fi Hotspot Software
 

Featured Reviews

UM
IT Infra Deputy Vice President at ESFB
Strong performance supports network team effectively but guest access compatibility needs improvement
We connect the network using Aruba Wireless. We connect our office network, and we use it primarily within our network team Aruba Wireless has many features, especially their state-of-the-art controller, which can be connected to the cloud. They also have an unlimited lifetime warranty, which is…
VolodymyrKhorenzhyi - PeerSpot reviewer
Network Engineer at SkyFall
Wireless network has reduced costs for enterprise sites but now needs better troubleshooting tools
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 solutions include features that help administrators handle many sleeping devices that are connected but doing nothing while still utilizing airtime. As more of these devices connect, the harder it becomes for active devices using the Wi-Fi, which impacts their performance. More expensive solutions provide functionality to handle this, but Ubiquiti UniFi does not. I do not use the real-time statistics feature, so it does not help with my network monitoring. While the solution is scalable, I have about 30 sites in my enterprise, and it is difficult to quickly locate which site a particular device is connected to. Ubiquiti UniFi cannot answer this question efficiently, and I have to switch between network sites one by one to find the device. I do use guest management and client isolation, though I do not use hotspot features because my enterprise does not need them. The impact of Ubiquiti UniFi VLAN setup on my network traffic management is straightforward and simple. Access points work in bridge mode, not in tunnel mode, which the system does not support. I configure a trunk port for every port where the Wi-Fi access point is connected and that is all. From a technical standpoint, Aruba, Fortinet, and Juniper are higher in capability because they operate at a different level that I cannot compare. Some advanced features are missing, particularly handling sleeping devices. This is the most critical example because managing 50 connected devices where 45 are doing nothing and just utilizing airtime is complicated. I want to handle this in some way, and Ubiquiti UniFi does not support this feature or help in any manner.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"​Our wireless overhaul has reduced the number of wireless related help desk tickets by nearly 90%.​"
"The most valuable feature of Aruba Wireless is multi-tenancy."
"I would rate their scalability as ten out of ten."
"I like the analytics feature."
"The product improved overall scalability and simplicity in configuring and replacing. The use of an Aruba Controller to configure multiple APs was game-changing."
"The technical support is very good."
"The tool's most valuable feature is Aruba Central, which offers centralized management. You can manage its switches, APs, and data access. It is easy to manage the entire switches and APs. The solution is the best in terms of security and manageability."
"It offers an easy initial setup."
"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."
"Firmware can be pushed or manually updated."
"The level of reporting offered by the controller, when used with other Ubiquiti equipment, has been invaluable."
"Overall, the suite of tools is quite useful."
"Functionality of the cloud key in terms of monitoring and managing the environment."
"The most valuable feature of this solution is how it is centralized."
"The most valuable features are its easy access, the controller, and constant updates."
"I like the centralized management console, where we can add all of the devices to the Unifi controller and then management them from a single point."
 

Cons

"Because it's cloud-based, it takes time for the floor maps and the heat map to load."
"Better integration with equipment from other vendors would ease the deployment process in some cases."
"Configuration for this solution could be made easier, so people could benefit from being able to configure it within a quicker amount of time."
"We needed the help of network consultants to complete the setup for us."
"The Aruba Central cloud portal needs a lot of work. It is complicated to navigate."
"The user interface could be improved in Aruba Wireless. This would make the setup easier."
"Aruba Wireless has room to improve the connection from one AP to another."
"Most of the access points don't include the chargers."
"I don't like the concept of the QoS, Quality of Service configuration because it doesn't give very granular configuration access to prioritize network traffic."
"If I could manage the W-LAN or other items without a UniFi switch, that would be very helpful. I have not tried, but I think some options are tied to the hardware, like the Ubiquiti switch."
"Documentation could be improved, especially regarding known issues or new features. It relies heavily on the user community to provide support and info. There is a vast user group with support groups on both the dedicated forums as well as most social media platforms."
"Setting up IP generation for something like guest access is pretty confusing and should be improved."
"Software interfaces could be improved and there is a lack of documentation."
"A more powerful heatmapping application in the controller would assist in more reliable WiFi modeling."
"Better pre-purchase docs, as I have to contact support via chat for some things that should already be in documents."
"Integrate NanoBeams into the Controller Software."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I think they should lower their prices."
"The price of Aruba Wireless is fairly reasonable. It was within our budget."
"The price point is pretty high compared to Ubiquiti and other equipment."
"Aruba is comparable to competing solutions when it comes to price."
"Cisco is more expensive than Aruba or Juniper."
"The access points are more cost-effective over some other providers, both in cost per AP and the option of a controller-less environment."
"If you compare it to other solutions then it's reasonably priced."
"​Trial different solutions and compare pricing to how well they perform, their stability, how easy it is to maintain, etc."
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
No data available
Comms Service Provider
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Educational Organization
8%
University
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business77
Midsize Enterprise47
Large Enterprise74
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?
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...
What is your primary use case for Ubiquiti UniFi?
I am using Ubiquiti UniFi exclusively for their video system, as I removed their wireless components. I utilize UniFi Protect, which is their video solution. They offer video cameras, Wi-Fi, and sw...
What advice do you have for others considering Ubiquiti UniFi?
I deploy Ubiquiti UniFi products on-premise only, not with any cloud service. When I purchase Ubiquiti UniFi products, I don't waste time looking for a reseller; I directly search and buy from Amaz...
 

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: January 2026.
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