Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

D-Link Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

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

D-Link Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
16th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
17
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiWLM
Ranking in Wireless LAN
12th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
6.2
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of February 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of D-Link Wireless is 2.1%, down from 2.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 2.5%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Fortinet FortiWLM2.5%
D-Link Wireless2.1%
Other95.4%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

NadirShahzad - PeerSpot reviewer
System Engineer at a tech services company with 201-500 employees
Wireless projects run smoothly with more access point support and competitive pricing
D-Link Wireless offers more supported APs to the WLC with the default license compared to other brands like Cisco. With Cisco, only four to five APs are connected with the default license, but D-Link Wireless provides more flexibility. Local support in Pakistan is necessary for those with limited budgets, creating a reach in the market.
LuayHlaleh - PeerSpot reviewer
Information Technology Team Lead at IT Solutions AE
Offers robust network management with cost considerations for large deployments
Large enterprises typically invest in FortiAnalyzer, though our company and SMB clients don't require this analysis tool. We use Ekahau for floor planning and Wi-Fi coverage analysis rather than Fortinet FortiWLM's built-in features. Ekahau helps us perform site surveys and plan access point placement. Fortinet FortiWLM is a flexible and common solution in Dubai. It's one of the best-selling products, with Etisalat, the largest ISP, installing Fortinet FortiGate for approximately 70-80% of their clients. The solution offers different series to accommodate various needs. The triple radio model costs around $1,000 (3,500 dirham) and supports 40-50 connected devices. The 231F model suits smaller deployments of 20-25 devices. I rate Fortinet FortiWLM a seven out of ten. While it's an excellent solution, Cisco remains the market leader.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"D-Link is a good product that is quite affordable and I recommend it."
"This product is user-friendly and we can manage it as per the requirements of the user."
"I like the product's signal continuity and range. We can receive the signal up to 20-30 meters from the wireless antenna."
"D-Link Wireless is a tool that is used since it is an easy and user-friendly product."
"The setup process is very easy."
"The system simplifies network management."
"This is an affordable product that offers good performance. This is why it is popular with our customers. It offers good speed and bandwidth."
"The solution is extremely easy to install. You just add them and in a few clicks, they are ready to go."
"The setup was easy."
"The greatest advantage is the security fabric Fortinet offers."
"If you do have a FortiGate Firewall somewhere in the network, you can connect the wireless controller to that... You get 100 percent visibility from a single point... You can see everything that's connected to the FortiGate, whether it's a switch or a wireless AP or a wireless controller or any other Fortinet product."
"The most valuable features are central management and the many other features available."
"The most valuable feature of Fortinet FortiWLM is the single management pane and integrated controller inside the firewall."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is the management."
"I use Fortinet FortiWLM for wireless communication and the internet."
"The most valuable feature is the ability to connect and broadcast to different networks without using a VLAN or a layer two switch, which allows you to easily create guest networks."
 

Cons

"In future releases, it can keep improving on countering the new patterns of security attacks."
"The only issue is with the controller visibility of the devices connecting to the network."
"It would definitely help if we had more advanced features for distributing bandwidth."
"Sometimes we configure the SSID with a password but the same AP shows two WiFi connections with the same SSID name (one is protected by a password and another one give access without a password)."
"The cloud managed solution needs improvement, and they should focus on the SD-WAN segment with regard to integration."
"Its interface and support system need much improvement. Sometimes, when we use the interface to reset the password and configure SSIDs, or some other changes, the "Save" option does not show and we have to go to some internal setting and then we can "save" the setting. The “Save” option should be in front of or below of the settings."
"D-Link Wireless should include the 'cleaner' feature similar to Cisco's APs. This feature reduces signal interference with access points."
"D-Link has some catching up to do in terms of advancing and improving its technology."
"Licensing is the only area that I think they are below average. They need enterprise licensing, an all-encompassing license to cover all products for a company."
"The solution should improve user capacity."
"The pricing model can be improved to encourage use by small business and individuals and the hardware could stand to be redesigned."
"The pricing for the solution is expensive and can be improved."
"Improving support and firmware upgrades is necessary. Firmware upgrades and bug improvements need to be tested well."
"There is very little publicly available information about Virtual Cell and Single Channel Architecture. Promotion of the overall technology is limited as well. Being more vocal about a product that has many advantages would go a long way to eliminating a lot of the confusion and negative perception about Virtual Cell and Single Channel Architecture."
"The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement."
"Areas for improvement would be the compatibility with Apple products and cross-platform integration."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is no licensing fee for the solution."
"The product is affordable."
"D-Link Wireless' price is the same as Aruba's. You need to pay one-time costs for the product."
"D-Link Wireless is cheaper than Ruckus or Cisco."
"This solution is more affordable than others on the market."
"D-Link pricing is very competitive when you consider other OEMs."
"On a scale of one to ten, where one is very cheap and ten is very expensive, I rate the pricing an eight out of ten."
"The cost can range from $100 to $400."
"Licensing costs are reasonable. There are so many different types of licenses with Fortinet, but the licensing and the 24/7/365 support are so reasonable that I automatically include it with every transaction. I never line item it without it. There are no additional costs."
"Fortinet FortiWLM's pricing is regular and competitive."
"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."
"The price of Fortinet FortiWLM is reasonable compared to the other vendors. We are using a five-year license."
"In the last few years, due in part to the impact of COVID on the market, Fortinet has increased its prices by 35 percent."
"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."
"If a customer already is a FortiGate customer, the cost to go to the FortiAP is incredibly affordable, because you already have the controller."
"The solution is expensive. I give the solution a one out of ten for the price."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
881,733 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Construction Company
13%
Manufacturing Company
10%
Educational Organization
10%
Comms Service Provider
10%
Healthcare Company
9%
Computer Software Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Manufacturing Company
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business8
Midsize Enterprise7
Large Enterprise2
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business19
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise4
 

Questions from the Community

Which wireless solution would you choose - Huawei or D-Link?
Huawei wireless is a strong and solid product that has a lot of features - and for all that it offers, it happens to be very cost effective. As a wireless solution, it is simple and its user interf...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for D-Link Wireless?
D-Link Wireless is notably more affordable than Cisco and Juniper. It suits SMB needs without the financial burden of purchasing additional licenses for extended APs.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?
I do not have knowledge about the pricing or the cost of Fortinet FortiWLM because the license is for the package of the firewall, FortiGate.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?
Overall, I find it useful, though I have concerns because after every update, some functionality is deleted or closed. For the moment, I don't have anything else in Fortinet FortiWLM that I would l...
What is your primary use case for Fortinet FortiWLM?
I use this solution for the enterprise to segment the department.
 

Also Known As

D-Link WLAN
FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Metropolitan Public Defender, Mission Motorcycles
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about D-Link Wireless vs. Fortinet FortiWLM and other solutions. Updated: February 2026.
881,733 professionals have used our research since 2012.