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Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points vs ExtremeWireless comparison

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Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Mar 9, 2026

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
4.1
Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points deliver high uptime, significant resource savings, improved user experience, and efficient wireless management.
Sentiment score
8.5
ExtremeWireless provides scalable, cost-effective solutions with 30% ROI savings, easy deployment, and excellent support for long-term use.
With centralized visibility, AI-driven insights, and better analytics, our engineers can identify the root cause of issues much faster than before, without spending hours on manual checks.
Senior Manage ,Enterprice and Security at Smart Technologies (BD) Ltd
The maintenance windows are very low because that essentially translates to uptimes.
Principle Cloud Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Firmware updates can be performed from the controller, making the process straightforward and quite easy.
Network Architect at INT Inc.
The best ROI is achieved over a three-year term.
Engineer at NewLogics
The monitoring access and excellent support provide significant value.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Customer Service

Sentiment score
7.0
Cisco 9100 Access Points support is efficient and expert, with some initial delays but generally superior to competitors.
Sentiment score
7.2
ExtremeWireless support is helpful but inconsistent, with slow response times and limited availability affecting user satisfaction. Ratings vary.
On a scale of one to ten, that would definitely be a ten for the tech support.
Architect at ReBIT
On a scale of one to ten, I would rate Cisco's technical support a solid ten out of ten due to their quick response and assistance.
Network Administrator at cmc
Customer support is impeccable, with very good responsiveness to questions and rapid resolution of incidents.
Consultant En Réseau Sécurité at a comms service provider with 10,001+ employees
I rate their support as a nine because they are very helpful when we need assistance and they strive to help, even if not the fastest.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
The technical support sometimes closes cases without resolution.
Engineer at NewLogics
I would rate the customer service as a ten.
Network Engineer at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
 

Scalability Issues

Sentiment score
7.6
Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points offer scalability, flexibility, and performance, efficiently managing high-density networks and diverse environments.
Sentiment score
6.7
ExtremeWireless is scalable and adaptable for medium to large enterprises but may face stability issues at higher user thresholds.
The good thing is that the functionality of the controller is the same whether you have five APs or 500.
Lead Engineer I (Network Manager) at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
You just spin up any number of wireless controllers, and you can control any number without limit of access points globally.
Senior Systems Engineer at a wholesaler/distributor with 51-200 employees
Two access points situated physically next to each other can broadcast different SSIDs, providing great capacity for scalability.
Networks Consultant at Boxxe
The Extreme access points handle high-density connectivity needs very well, managing lots of traffic efficiently.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
ExtremeWireless is suitable for companies with a user base below three hundred.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
ExtremeWireless is quite scalable.
Systems Engineer at LinkAxia Networks Sdn Bhd
 

Stability Issues

Sentiment score
8.3
Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points are highly rated for stability, connectivity, speed, and reliability, despite occasional firmware issues.
Sentiment score
7.0
ExtremeWireless is praised for its stability and reliability, though some encounter challenges with firmware updates in high-density environments.
The campus network requires stable versions for all equipment to function properly.
Security Network Architect at novonordisc
The overall performance, coverage, and signal quality are good.
Network Team Lead at a tech vendor with 1,001-5,000 employees
I have never had any stability issues with the WLAN controller.
Network Engineer at Information Technology University
They work well without failures.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
I experienced issues during firmware upgrades, as some devices required a physical restart, which affects system stability.
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
The stability of ExtremeWireless is somewhat weaker compared to previous solutions, like Motorola before its acquisition.
IT executive at a agriculture with 1,001-5,000 employees
 

Room For Improvement

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points face usability, pricing, and support challenges; improvements suggested in management, AI tools, and integration.
ExtremeWireless must enhance affordability, integration, security, support, and performance to improve competitiveness and meet small business needs.
When we ran a drill to quantify the time it takes for resolution, especially for bug fixes, it was less than one and a half to two days, which is quite impressive, especially for bugs that were not discovered earlier and the kind of recommendations offered.
Principle Cloud Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
We can take advantage of these APs where there are no controllers available on-site.
Network Architecture at Softel Consulting
The traffic analyzer is something which is quite useful.
Network Design at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
I wish for ExtremeWireless to optimize the roaming capability between access points, especially for IoT devices.
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
They should develop more troubleshooting tools for system management.
Network Engineer at a consultancy with 201-500 employees
There is some delay in firmware upgrades for access points.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Setup Cost

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points are costly but valued for reliability and security, seen as pricier than competitors like Ubiquiti.
ExtremeWireless provides good value with both free and paid options, despite medium-high pricing and substantial hardware costs.
If I compare that with Aruba, it is certainly at least 1.5 times more expensive.
Principle Cloud Architect at a tech services company with 11-50 employees
Even compared to competitors, the pricing is similar, and there is value in paying for these access points.
Enterprise Account Manager at Ahlan Cyber
If you don't have numbers or substantial data for negotiations, the price will remain high.
Engineer Production at Universidade de Aveiro
Each customer typically buys around 100 APs, which makes it quite expensive.
Systems Engineer at LinkAxia Networks Sdn Bhd
The pricing is favorable due to its flexible licensing model.
Engineer at NewLogics
The pricing is a weak point for Extreme; it is very high.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Valuable Features

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points provide secure, reliable Wi-Fi 6/6E connectivity, centralized management, and scalability for high-density environments.
ExtremeWireless offers cloud management, strong security, seamless integration, and stability, making it ideal for security-focused sectors.
DNA is a tool to manage all the devices in the same network, and the DNA center, which we call DNAC, automates a lot of things through this solution to push the configuration on different devices including switches, access points, WLCs, routers, and firewalls.
Security Network Architect at novonordisc
The assurance data provides visibility and highlights the issues that a particular user or particular network node is facing.
Solution Architect at a outsourcing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
You're not buying a home access point, so it has to support 200 users per access point along with a unifying controller.
Lead Engineer I (Network Manager) at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees
A single license can be used for on-premises, hybrid, or cloud, allowing for easy transition between solutions without losing investment.
Engineer at NewLogics
The most valuable features of ExtremeWireless include the management through the one dashboard management with ActionCloud IQ, integrated with Site Engine.
Systems Engineer at LinkAxia Networks Sdn Bhd
The support from Extreme is very good and helpful.
Wireless Network Analyst at a construction company with 51-200 employees
 

Categories and Ranking

Cisco Wireless 9100 Access ...
Ranking in Wireless LAN
4th
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
33
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
ExtremeWireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
15th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of September 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points is 1.2%. The mindshare of ExtremeWireless is 2.4%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points1.2%
ExtremeWireless2.4%
Other96.4%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

MI
Senior Manage ,Enterprice and Security at Smart Technologies (BD) Ltd
Centralized visibility has improved high-density WiFi management and reduced troubleshooting time
Overall, my experience with Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points platform has been positive. However, there are a few areas where I think the deployment and operational experience could be improved. First, migration from all Cisco access points could be smoother; in our deployment, we encountered an older ARGAP 1602IC K9 that was not supported by the new controller. A more streamlined compatibility and migration workflow would make it easier to identify and support legacy hardware before the migration begins. Second, for larger deployments, simplifying some of the RF troubleshooting and optimization workflow would be helpful; we have approximately sixty-eight access points. Although Catalyst 9800 WLC provides good visibility, having even more recommendations for identifying RF issues, capacity problems, and roaming-related issues could reduce the amount of manual analysis required by the wireless team. I would also like to see continued improvement in automation and operational simplicity for large-scale deployments. The ability to quickly identify an issue, understand its causes, and receive actionable recommendations could be particularly valuable when managing many access points across multiple floors. These are not major limitations for us. Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points provides us with the functionality we need for enterprise wireless, but making migration, RF troubleshooting, and day-to-day optimization even more intuitive would make an already capable solution easier to operate.
KO
Network Administrator at THK Co Ltd
We manage complex networks with seamless guest and user access while ensuring device authorization
I use enterprise connections where users need to be authorized against radius servers. This feature is common across various products, including ExtremeWireless. Generally, the network management is valuable to me. However, I am unsure how the security architecture enhances our network protection as we typically use the latest firmware for access points. Nonetheless, we had some troubles with roaming, requiring me to install specific firmware to avoid issues.
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Outsourcing Company
18%
Manufacturing Company
12%
Leisure / Travel Company
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Construction Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business13
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise20
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business14
Midsize Enterprise10
Large Enterprise8
 

Questions from the Community

What needs improvement with Catalyst 9100 Access Points?
Overall, my experience with Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points platform has been positive. However, there are a few areas where I think the deployment and operational experience could be improved. F...
What is your primary use case for Catalyst 9100 Access Points?
I have been using Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points in Maryland and deployed them two years ago at my client's end with a WLC controller. I deployed Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points in a large mul...
What advice do you have for others considering Catalyst 9100 Access Points?
My advice would be to first evaluate your future data density, application requirements, RF environment, and growth plans rather than base your decision on specifications alone when considering Cis...
What needs improvement with ExtremeWireless?
There are concerns regarding the stability of ExtremeWireless. It could be an area of improvement, especially when compared to previous solutions such as Motorola before their acquisition. Another ...
What is your primary use case for ExtremeWireless?
We mainly use ExtremeWireless ( /products/extremewireless-reviews ) for the warehouse, specifically for the Zebra handheld devices and printers.
What advice do you have for others considering ExtremeWireless?
Overall, ExtremeWireless has a lot of room for improvement. The main concern is stability. As a user, I focus on supporting the devices and ensuring they meet my client’s needs. While I do not hand...
 

Also Known As

Catalyst 9100 Access Points
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
St. Xavier High School, Americatel, Diamond Light Source
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco Wireless 9100 Access Points vs. ExtremeWireless and other solutions. Updated: September 2026.
913,654 professionals have used our research since 2012.