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ExtremeCloud IQ vs Ruckus Wireless 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

ExtremeCloud IQ
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
76
Ranking in other categories
Network Management Applications (13th), Network Access Control (NAC) (11th), Intrusion Detection and Prevention Software (IDPS) (21st)
Ruckus Wireless
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.1
Number of Reviews
104
Ranking in other categories
Wireless LAN (2nd)
 

Mindshare comparison

ExtremeCloud IQ and Ruckus Wireless aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. ExtremeCloud IQ is designed for Network Management Applications and holds a mindshare of 2.7%, down 2.8% compared to last year.
Ruckus Wireless, on the other hand, focuses on Wireless LAN, holds 13.8% mindshare, down 14.1% since last year.
Network Management Applications Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
ExtremeCloud IQ2.7%
Cisco DNA Center21.8%
Cisco Catalyst Center9.9%
Other65.6%
Network Management Applications
Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Ruckus Wireless13.8%
Aruba Wireless15.4%
Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN11.5%
Other59.3%
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

KristianLarsen - PeerSpot reviewer
Helps resolve network-related issues quickly and is reasonably priced
The tool has both advantages and weaknesses because it has several pieces of software on which it has been working because of buyouts. The tool has several branches of software versions, and you can consolidate it into ExtremeCloud, but it also has the disadvantage that sometimes people can get issues because the software on the hardware is different than they expected, especially if it is not converted to the tool used. The tool has simplified things, but it also adds a complexity that sometimes stumps some users. In the future, I think the tool’s onboarding setup of a new tenant could be smoother or faster. I also think that they could provide a simpler setup for first-level support so that it can be easier for them to have a support dashboard that would help them. I am talking about customer support organizations, so you usually have a high turnaround, but you need to have something that is easier to use and where you don't need so much training.
Xander Janse Van Rensburg - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable and high-performance wireless networking with exceptional stability, scalability, and robust feature set
One of the most valuable features I appreciate is auto channelization, facilitated by a proprietary product called ChannelFly. This feature enables APs in a specific zone to automatically adjust their channels, optimizing performance. Additionally, Ruckus Wireless stands out for its ability to reuse certain beams, resulting in smaller data spots. In my experience with various products, Ruckus Wireless consistently delivers unparalleled throughput, coverage, and reliability in wireless networking across different environments. As a noteworthy point, the newly launched WiFi 7 standard is measured against Ruckus's WiFi 7 AP, establishing it as the global benchmark. When it comes to WiFi, Ruckus sets the standard, outperforming competitors with its superior performance and capabilities.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"The support organization behind this product is extremely professional."
"App and firewall security at the AP."
"It's extremely easy to deploy. Even our access points are behind the net, not using real, public IP. We can easily add to the cloud. For deployment, we just need to let the access point take the DSCP from IP and then, even if it's not a requirement, we can see the serial number from the access points and add the serial number to the cloud directly."
"The dashboards are great and the user interface is quite intuitive."
"What I like best about ExtremeCloud IQ is its ease of use. Flexibility is another pro of ExtremeCloud IQ. I also find ExtremeCloud IQ feature-rich."
"HiveManager is extremely easy to use for anyone with little network experience."
"Integrated Firewall in every AP (with DPI inspection) is a killer feature and it is included already in the price of licence (with others, this feature is an add-on licence)."
"Another valuable feature is the automation of Wi-Fi configurations, which allows the wireless network to auto-reconfigure in case of problems."
"Comprehensive availability and performance of monitoring and reporting for WISP network monitor."
"It's reliable wireless equipment."
"I really like Ruckus Unleashed, which is the feature that provides a quick solution for me to control the APs."
"The APs themselves have been pretty solid. We haven't had too many of them go bad or anything like that. The wireless performance seems pretty good. The ability to provision the devices is pretty good, and the back end is also pretty good."
"The solution has an easy configuration."
"Mesh networking and antenna patterns are the most valuable features of the solution."
"The most valuable is the central administration. Provides quick views of activity, from the number of clients online to signal and noise readings."
"What I like best about Ruckus Wireless is that it's a controller-based product, so it's easy to configure."
 

Cons

"I struggled with the documentation. I expected comprehensive documentation and videos but found them to be too simple."
"I struggled with the documentation."
"ExtremeCloud IQ’s user interface needs to be improved, and its current bugs need to be fixed."
"The tool has simplified things, but it also adds a complexity that sometimes stumps some users."
"Their firewall configuration gets funky and it can be difficult to understand."
"An area for improvement in ExtremeCloud IQ is its technical support. Support could be better, especially when you need help concerning ExtremeCloud IQ and WinG."
"A room for improvement in ExtremeCloud IQ is roaming. My team is facing roaming issues with the solution, particularly when using VoIP over WiFi. For example, VoIP sometimes breaks when you walk around the customer site. In terms of what I'd like to see in the next release of the solution, right now, the inventory for ExtremeCloud IQ is awful. There's no stock, and you must wait a year and a half for new stocks. It's awful."
"The solution's performance needs to be enhanced because of a very high delay."
"Sometimes doing mass changes on their products can be challenging."
"I would like the option to not have my logs deleted when I shut down the device so that I will be able to troubleshoot."
"Wi-Fi 6E and the cloud are areas with shortcomings in the solution that need improvement."
"They can improve the cloud portion. Other vendors have a cloud controller, and they can provide the same so that we can see everything."
"Lacks some analytics features in the control itself."
"The price has room for improvement."
"We would like to see a better licensing model for our customers."
"My suggestion would be for them to return to more innovative thinking or innovative ideas."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I am not involved in the price, but I am sure that it is not cheap."
"ExtremeCloud IQ's pricing is medium, but its support contract costs more."
"I would advise that you be sure to compare apples with apples. Many customers just look at the price per AP and licences, and compare that against other solutions. But, they do not look at the complete picture such as: TCO - how much the equipment will cost you over, say, seven years? Will the customer need to change complete infrastructure when they want to buy the newest hardware? Does support include a lifetime warranty and RMA?"
"ExtremeCloud IQ's pricing is high."
"The price was okay."
"Buy near the end of Q4 in order to get a deal."
"I did a multi-year license. It was a three-year license. It compares well with others in terms of the price. It is about a hundred dollars per year on a three-year scale."
"Price-wise, it is a reasonable tool."
"Ruckus is an expensive solution."
"With Ubiquiti, there's no annual cost to keep the software upgraded, whereas with Ruckus, you have to pay an annual fee or three-year fee. That makes it a little more pricey."
"We paid for a three-year contract last year. I am not sure about what we paid. It is certainly less expensive than Meraki."
"The price is high and I give the price a four out of ten."
"I would rate their pricing 3 out of 5. There is no annual licensing cost."
"Not all of our clients can afford a fully corporate solution like Ruckus. But for many of our clients, pricing is the only factor that prevents them from choosing Ruckus, as we have found Ruckus to be a very suitable and reliable solution for integrating wireless access points to a company's network."
"We have a yearly license for our multiple mode 200 or 300 Ruckus Wireless systems. It's a good price."
"​The cost can be prohibitive for many as it is a high-end product in the WiFi market.​"
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
11%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Educational Organization
9%
Computer Software Company
12%
Comms Service Provider
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Educational Organization
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business45
Midsize Enterprise13
Large Enterprise24
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business69
Midsize Enterprise20
Large Enterprise25
 

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...
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for ExtremeCloud IQ?
The licensing was a challenge due to budget constraints, and I used ExtremeCloud IQ without a license for a period. The documentation and training courses were also costly, impacting how easily I c...
What advice do you have for others considering ExtremeCloud IQ?
I rate the overall solution nine out of ten only due to the poor documentation. Despite this, I was very happy with ExtremeCloud IQ as it greatly eased my workload, allowing me to manage the networ...
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...
Which is better - Ruckus Wireless or Cisco Wireless?
Ruckus Wireless offers users the benefit of being both easy to set up and get running as well as being very user friendly. This user-friendly quality also renders it easy to learn how to use and ma...
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...
 

Also Known As

Aerohive Networks, Aerohive HiveManager, HiveManager, ExtremeCloud , ExtremeSecurity
No data available
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Henry Ford Health System, Baltimore Ravens, Brandili, Federal University of Alagoas, CEDAE, Caxias do Sul, UNISC Concurrency, CenturyLink Field, Louisiana College, Cricket Tasmania Stadium, Moscow Internet Exchange
American University of Sharjah, Baruch College, Centro Escolar Liceo Santo Tomšs, Chevalier College, Chico Unified School District, Colegio de Fomento El Prado, Columbia Public Schools, Delta School District, Dordt College, Douglas County School District, Drew University, Armonea, Central Utah Clinic, Grove Hill Medical Center, Inner South Community Health Service, Midwest Surgical, Satilla Regional Medical Center, Lyndoch Living, Polonus, Roaring Fork School District, Sonora State, Vivid, Sydney, Players Club, Sandals, Scandic Hotels, Sheraton LAX, Sunbird
Find out what your peers are saying about Cisco, Hewlett Packard Enterprise, Fortinet and others in Network Management Applications. Updated: October 2025.
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