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Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiGate comparison

The compared Cisco and Fortinet solutions aren't in the same category. Cisco is ranked #4 in Wireless LAN , with an average rating of 8.2, and holds a 11.5% mindshare in the category. Fortinet is ranked #1 in Firewalls , with an average rating of 8.5, and holds a 20.4% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Cisco users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 92% of Fortinet users who would recommend it.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Read 120 Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN reviews
  • 11,730 Views
  • 10,440 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
Fortinet FortiGate
Read 575 Fortinet FortiGate reviews
  • 72,802 Views
  • 58,242 Comparison Views
92% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Sep 21, 2025

Fortinet FortiGate and Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN are major competitors in the network security and wireless connectivity domain. Fortinet FortiGate stands out for its affordable pricing and strong security features, while Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN excels with advanced cloud management capabilities, albeit with a higher cost.

Features: Fortinet FortiGate offers features such as sophisticated threat management, VPN capabilities, and web filtering. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN provides comprehensive cloud management, seamless scalability, and robust connectivity.

Room for Improvement: Fortinet FortiGate could enhance its user interface and provide better documentation support. There's also an opportunity for more intuitive reporting tools. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN would benefit from more competitive pricing and improved customization options for advanced users while addressing performance issues under heavy loads.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Fortinet FortiGate offers a user-friendly deployment process with flexible configuration options. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is recognized for its quick deployment through cloud technology, providing superior customer service with efficient and responsive support.

Pricing and ROI: Fortinet FortiGate is praised for its cost-effectiveness and promising ROI, attracting cost-sensitive businesses. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN's initial investment is higher but is justified by its advanced management features, contributing to substantial long-term savings through efficient network management.

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Wireless LAN
October 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:
 

ROI

Sentiment score
1.0
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers financial savings and scalability, justifying initial costs, though competitors may offer similar features cheaper.
Sentiment score
5.9
Fortinet FortiGate offers cost-effective security with quick deployment, improving efficiency, reducing downtime, and providing a strong return on investment.
No quotes available
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
Clients are now comfortable and not wasting productive hours on IT support.
The automation part is giving us a cost benefit and speed; we can react faster.
It's a very useful tool to mitigate and protect your enterprise.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
MURALI NIDAMANURI - PeerSpot reviewerBart Homblé - PeerSpot reviewerBernard Samontanes - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
3.0
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN support is generally prompt and knowledgeable, but inconsistencies and delays exist, especially with complex issues.
Sentiment score
6.6
Fortinet FortiGate support is mostly praised for responsiveness and knowledge, though inconsistencies exist in complex cases or regions.
It would be better if the SLA of technical support was less than four hours.
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
They offer very accurate solutions.
The quick resolution of issues with Fortinet FortiGate is due to the support of the company and the fact that the equipment is easy to work with.
I would rate the technical support for Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewerTaimoor Khan - PeerSpot reviewer
AM
AK
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
6.3
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers seamless scalability, easy expansion, and strong adaptability, despite some cost and licensing challenges.
Sentiment score
7.1
Fortinet FortiGate offers scalability and easy integration for diverse environments, catering to businesses from small to large enterprises.
Meraki is not scalable enough since it straightforwardly maps its products to segmented specifications.
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
They scale up really well from smaller models like the FortiGate 40 and 50 to bigger sites with the FortiGate 100 for more throughput - up to enterprise datacenters.
The variation comes in terms of the interfaces and throughputs, but from a security perspective, you get the same benefit, irrespective of whether you have an entry-level unit or an enterprise.
We determine sizing based on multiple factors: number of users, available links, traffic types, server count, services in use, and whether services will be published.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
IM
reviewer2667480 - PeerSpot reviewer
FS
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
4.6
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is stable and reliable, but may experience issues during firmware updates and in high-density areas.
Sentiment score
7.7
Fortinet FortiGate is highly stable and reliable, excelling in continuous operation with effective network management, despite occasional update issues.
Stability is not an issue for me because it comes with Cisco's proven manufacturer quality.
We have experienced many instances where we have experienced a lag in our network, and I am not sure if it is due to their devices or our network.
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
We're experiencing 99.999% availability consistently.
I would rate the stability of Fortinet FortiGate a ten out of ten.
Currently, we are experiencing a general outage of one of the main internet service providers of the Dominican Republic, and we have not been impacted in our operations because with SD-WAN, we have another internet service provider and we are working with the second WAN connection without any disruption.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
KD
RB
AK
Juan Frias - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN needs improved features, integration, scalability, security, and competitive pricing to match competitors' offerings.
Users express concern over Fortinet FortiGate's interface stability, functionality, performance issues, and call for improved support and features.
The most important improvement needed is to eliminate the limitation of uplinks.
Some of the newer models of the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN access point have encompassed the new wireless protocols and increased the strength of their antennas.
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
Investing in a solution that can accommodate such growth would be more cost-effective than repeatedly purchasing new hardware.
While Fortinet claims to offer a comprehensive network solution, it falls short in addressing computer application issues, particularly server security.
When considering Sophos XG, which we also use, the logging and reporting functionality is notably more efficient.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
KD
Jose Gisbert - PeerSpot reviewerMOHAN SUKUMAR - PeerSpot reviewerTaha Turkestani - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is costly with annual licenses, but valued for quality despite limited renewal discounts and coterminous issues.
Fortinet FortiGate offers high initial costs but competitive pricing, valued features, and flexible licensing compared to competitors.
The pricing of Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is not competitive enough for the SMB market compared to other brands.
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is on par with other devices in that category, offering competitive pricing.
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
Last year, I renewed the support for three years, which can sometimes be expensive but depends on the security benefits and how it helps us.
It offers cost savings as it is generally cheaper than the competition.
It is about 20% cheaper.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
KD
AK
NP
MithatBulut - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN offers cloud management, ease of deployment, security features, and real-time monitoring for versatile network management.
Fortinet FortiGate offers robust, affordable security with user-friendly interface, centralized management, and efficient SD-WAN capabilities.
It also manages security clients and switches, providing a single dashboard to manage multiple network infrastructures.
The ability to program all access points from the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN dashboard, view the status of all of them, and examine the individual devices connected to each access point is very valuable.
For more quotes and insights, download the Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN report
In terms of security, we have not experienced any security flaws or loopholes, and it has proven to be quite stable.
FortiGate has helped reduce the risk of cyberattacks that might disrupt our client's production.
These features help reduce our downtime, manage the ISPs, and deploy SLAs for all the website traffic.
For more quotes and insights, download the Fortinet FortiGate report
RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
KD
MOHAN SUKUMAR - PeerSpot reviewerTaimoor Khan - PeerSpot reviewerSyed Ali Waqas - PeerSpot reviewer
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
4.3
Number of Reviews
120
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (4th)
Fortinet FortiGate
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
575
Ranking in other categories
Secure Web Gateways (SWG) (2nd), Firewalls (1st), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (1st), Software Defined WAN (SD-WAN) Solutions (1st), WAN Edge (1st), ZTNA (2nd), Unified Threat Management (UTM) (1st)
 

Mindshare comparison

While both are Enterprise Networking solutions, they serve different purposes. Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN is designed for Wireless LAN and holds a mindshare of 11.5%, down 12.8% compared to last year.
Fortinet FortiGate, on the other hand, focuses on Firewalls, holds 20.4% mindshare, up 19.1% since last year.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN11.5%
Aruba Wireless15.4%
Ruckus Wireless13.8%
Other59.3%
Wireless LAN
Firewalls Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiGate20.4%
OPNsense11.0%
Netgate pfSense10.8%
Other57.8%
Firewalls
 

Q&A Highlights

GW
Apr 03, 2023
What are the differences between Cisco Meraki MX67 and FortiGate 60?
Meraki MX series are all cloud-based management with on-premises physical firewall connectivity, so if the Internet goes down you will lose the management options to the firewall. Whereas FortiGate Firewall doesn't need Internet for the first time setup. Also, it is easy to manage the management interface being it is available to local users when the case of internet connection fails. All other security features, policy creation, and VPN related remains the same as you see in any brand firewall.
See all answers
 

Featured Reviews

RezaPradipta - PeerSpot reviewer
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…
Read full review
Vasu Gala - PeerSpot reviewer
A stable solution with an intuitive interface and quick customer service
I have been working with Fortinet FortiGate, WatchGuard, Sophos, and SonicWall. I'm not as comfortable with SonicWall because of their UI and limitations. I prefer Fortinet above all other options. When it comes to configuration, I am confident in my ability to handle various tasks, including creating policies such as firewall rules, web policies, and application policies. Additionally, I can configure VPNs and implement load balancing, among other tasks. Overall, I feel much more comfortable working with Fortinet. Fortinet has made significant improvements by integrating AI with firewalls for threat analysis and prevention. In the past 2-3 years, they have launched FortiSASE and SIEM, and they also provide SOC services. Both Palo Alto and Fortinet FortiGate are excellent. While Fortinet FortiGate comes at higher prices, the functionality and support justify the cost. They promptly resolve firmware issues and inform all support providers about configuration changes.
Read full review
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Comparison Review

it_user216600 - PeerSpot reviewer
Jan 3, 2016
Sophos UTM vs. Fortinet FortiGate
I have used both Sophos and Fortinet products in production and I have found the Sophos UTM appliances (hardware and virtual) to be a better fit most of the time -- with a few caveats which I will touch on below. In both instances, the transition from TMG will be mostly straightforward. The main…
Read full review
 

Answers from the Community

GW
Apr 3, 2023
Apr 3, 2023
What are the differences between Cisco Meraki MX67 and FortiGate 60?
Meraki MX series are all cloud-based management with on-premises physical firewall connectivity, so if the Internet goes down you will lose the management options to the firewall. Whereas FortiGate Firewall doesn't need Internet for the first time setup. Also, it is easy to manage the management interface being it is available to local users when the case of internet connection fails. All other...
See 2 answers
MURALI NIDAMANURI - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 3, 2023
Meraki MX series are all cloud-based management with on-premises physical firewall connectivity, so if the Internet goes down you will lose the management options to the firewall. Whereas FortiGate Firewall doesn't need Internet for the first time setup. Also, it is easy to manage the management interface being it is available to local users when the case of internet connection fails. All other security features, policy creation, and VPN related remains the same as you see in any brand firewall.
Read full answer
Aymen FHOULA - PeerSpot reviewer
Apr 3, 2023
The Cisco Meraki MX67 and FortiGate 60 are both firewall devices, but there are some differences between them: Deployment: The Cisco Meraki MX67 is a cloud-managed firewall, meaning that it can be managed and configured through the cloud, whereas the FortiGate 60 is typically deployed as an on-premises appliance. Security features: Both devices offer a range of security features, such as firewalling, VPN, and intrusion prevention, but they may differ in the specific features and capabilities they offer. For example, FortiGate 60 offers advanced threat protection, while the Cisco Meraki MX67 offers content filtering. Throughput: The FortiGate 60 offers higher throughput than the Cisco Meraki MX67. The FortiGate 60 can handle up to 1 Gbps of traffic, while the Cisco Meraki MX67 can handle up to 450 Mbps.  The cost of the devices may also differ. The Cisco Meraki MX67 tends to be more expensive than the FortiGate 60. Scalability: The Cisco Meraki MX67 is designed for small to medium-sized businesses, while the FortiGate 60 can scale to meet the needs of larger organizations.
Read full answer
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
16%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Educational Organization
7%
Computer Software Company
15%
Comms Service Provider
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business68
Midsize Enterprise26
Large Enterprise31
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business350
Midsize Enterprise130
Large Enterprise187
 

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...
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...
See all answers
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...
See all answers
Which is the better NGFW: Fortinet Fortigate or Cisco Firepower?
When you compare these firewalls you can identify them with different features, advantages, practices and usage at large. In my opinion, Fortinet would be the best option and l use Fortinet too...
See all answers
What is the biggest difference between Sophos XG and FortiGate?
From my experience regarding both the Sophos and FortiGate firewalls, I personally would rather use FortiGate. I know the firewalls change every 5 to 7 years as stated but you really do need to upg...
See all answers
What are the biggest technical differences between Sophos UTM and Fortinet FortiGate?
As a solution, Sophos UTM offers a lot of functionality, it scales well, and the stability and performance are quite good. The most valuable features for me are their web and email filtering. I wou...
See all answers
 

Comparisons

Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Logo
Aruba Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Compared 30% of the time
Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Logo
Juniper Mist Wireless Access Points vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Compared 12% of the time
Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Logo
Ruckus Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Compared 12% of the time
Fortinet FortiAP vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Logo
Fortinet FortiAP vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Compared 6% of the time
Ubiquiti Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Logo
Ubiquiti Wireless vs Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
Compared 5% of the time
More Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN Competitors
Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate Logo
Sophos XG vs Fortinet FortiGate
Compared 17% of the time
Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate Logo
Cisco Secure Firewall vs Fortinet FortiGate
Compared 11% of the time
Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate Logo
Netgate pfSense vs Fortinet FortiGate
Compared 9% of the time
OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate Logo
OPNsense vs Fortinet FortiGate
Compared 4% of the time
Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate Logo
Cisco Meraki MX vs Fortinet FortiGate
Compared 4% of the time
More Fortinet FortiGate Competitors
 

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN
October 2025
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN reportDownload Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN product report
Buyer's Guide
Fortinet FortiGate
October 2025
Fortinet FortiGate reportDownload Fortinet FortiGate product report
 

Also Known As

MR18, MR26, MR32, MR34, MR66, MR72, Meraki Wireless LAN, Meraki WLAN
No data available
 

Overview

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

Fortinet FortiGate excels in providing integrated VPN, firewalling, and Unified Threat Management (UTM) with centralized management and high availability. It supports remote access and comprehensive threat protection, making it a preferred choice for securing networks.

Fortinet FortiGate offers a robust security platform with features such as strong intrusion prevention, application control, and web filtering. Its integration with Active Directory and SD-WAN functionality provides scalable solutions for large networks. Users appreciate its ease of use through centralized management interfaces, ensuring robust security with flexible configurations. However, FortiGate could enhance its graphical interface and technical support responsiveness, address firmware bugs and costly licensing, improve logging, integrate better with third-party tools, and strengthen scalability and memory for log storage. Complexity in configuration and the need for intuitive features are noted challenges, and there's a demand for advanced security, zero-trust capabilities, and AI integration.

What are the key features of Fortinet FortiGate?
  • VPN: Secure remote access and connectivity.
  • Firewalling: Protects networks from unauthorized access and attacks.
  • UTM: Offers a comprehensive approach to threat management.
  • SD-WAN: Optimizes traffic routing for efficient network performance.
  • Web Filtering: Controls and monitors web access and ensures Internet security.
What benefits or ROI should be considered?
  • Centralized Management: Simplifies administration and monitoring.
  • High Availability: Ensures consistent security and network availability.
  • Scalability: Adapts to the needs of growing networks.
  • Comprehensive Threat Protection: Provides robust security measures.
  • Ease of Use: Minimizes the complexity of security management.

Fortinet FortiGate is widely implemented across industries like education, finance, and government. Companies use it for firewall protection, VPN, and SD-WAN capabilities, ensuring secure perimeter and data center security. It facilitates remote access management and traffic routing optimization, offering reliable security and connectivity solutions.

Fortinet
 

Sample Customers

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
Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Dell, HP, Oracle, Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, Vodafone, Orange, BT Group, Telstra, Deutsche Telekom, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, CenturyLink, NTT Communications, Tata Communications, SoftBank, China Mobile, Singtel, Telus, Rogers Communications, Bell Canada, Telkom Indonesia, Telkom South Africa, Telmex, Telia Company, Telkom Kenya
Buyer's Guide
Wireless LAN
October 2025
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