Cisco Wireless WAN and Fortinet FortiExtender compete in the wireless WAN and SD-WAN markets. Cisco has an edge in large ISP networks with its integration capabilities and broad device support, while Fortinet excels in SD-WAN and 5G LTE network integration.
Features: Cisco Wireless WAN is notable for its integration capabilities, failover support, and quality of service features, making it suitable for large ISP networks and extensive device interoperability. Fortinet FortiExtender stands out with seamless SD-WAN integration and compatibility with 5G LTE networks, offering flexibility within Fortinet's ecosystem.
Room for Improvement: Cisco Wireless WAN faces challenges with pricing, software bugs, and complexity in setup. Users seek better management features and competitive pricing. Fortinet FortiExtender needs a more intuitive design and improved security features similar to FortiGuard.
Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Cisco Wireless WAN supports various deployment models, including on-premises, public, and hybrid clouds, with high scalability and strong customer support. Fortinet FortiExtender is focused on on-premises deployment, fitting well with existing Fortinet setups, though its customer support lacks Cisco's extensive reputation.
Pricing and ROI: Cisco Wireless WAN is more expensive but offers high performance and integration leading to good long-term ROI, with annual license renewals impacting costs. Fortinet FortiExtender offers a predictable cost structure with perpetual licensing, generally more affordable but may lack the same ROI for extensive deployments.
| Product | Mindshare (%) |
|---|---|
| Cisco Wireless WAN | 8.3% |
| Fortinet FortiExtender | 7.5% |
| Other | 84.2% |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 26 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 16 |
| Large Enterprise | 36 |
| Company Size | Count |
|---|---|
| Small Business | 11 |
| Midsize Enterprise | 1 |
| Large Enterprise | 1 |
Cisco Wireless WAN refers to the wireless networking solutions provided by Cisco Systems, a leading technology company specializing in networking and communication products. Cisco Wireless WAN enables organizations to establish wireless connections and extend their wide area network (WAN) connectivity using cellular networks.
Cisco Wireless WAN solutions leverage cellular technologies, such as 4G LTE and 5G, to provide high-speed and reliable wireless connectivity. These solutions offer a range of features and capabilities that enhance network performance, security, and manageability.
Cisco Wireless WAN Features & Benefits:
Cisco Wireless WAN empowers organizations with reliable, secure, and scalable wireless connectivity, enabling mobility and enhancing network performance and productivity.
Reviews from Real Users
PeerSpot user, Manager - Technology at a tech services company, states that "Recently, the most valuable and in-demand feature that users are enjoying is WiFi 6 support on the access points. The other good thing about Cisco Wireless LAN is how easily it provides clean access to the WiFi network."
Muhammad Alim Besari, Solution Architect at Packet System Indonesia, says that “Cisco Wireless LAN deliver the best wireless experience yet so easy to operate and manage.”
Zulfiqar Saeed, SE at The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, writes that "The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are its security functionality. We have a lab environment and we have to provide different authentications to the users which are easy to manage. Additionally, there is a lot of useful automation embedded into the system."
Fortinet FortiExtender is a cost-effective hardware WAN device that is robust, easily scales, and delivers 5G, LTE, and Ethernet options. FortiExtender is designed using Fortinet’s trademark security-focused networking. The solution enables organizations to have enhanced secure network connectivity with cellular and wired broadband network options.
FortiExtender can be used for secure point of sale (POS) systems to transport fleet communications. The device delivers dependable broadband access to the internet and increases the usefulness of the Fortinet Security Fabric integration to enhance seamless business processes that rely heavily on remote device connectivity to get the job done.
FortiExtender delivers super-fast 5G and LTE wireless to connect and quickly scale any WAN edge. Users get 5G/LTE cellular, out-of-band management (OBM), high availability (HA), and dynamic risk security in one comprehensive, reliable solution.
Fortinet FortiExtender Benefits
Fortinet FortiExtender Features
Reviews from Real Users
“Fortinet FortiExtender helps facilitate Fortinet connectivity. When it comes to cell phone towers, you never know what you'll get with global configurations. We use this solution to mitigate switching cell phone towers. The scalability is limitless based on your cell and your internet or your cloud connectivity. It's similar to any other VPN in terms of how simple it is to set up in a global or extended environment with a large number of clients.” - Clement J., Chief Executive Officer at Clemtech LLC
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