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

ExtremeWireless 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

ExtremeWireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
16th
Average Rating
8.0
Reviews Sentiment
6.7
Number of Reviews
30
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
Fortinet FortiWLM
Ranking in Wireless LAN
14th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
27
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of July 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of ExtremeWireless is 1.8%, up from 1.4% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 1.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN
 

Featured Reviews

Seungho Yang - PeerSpot reviewer
Enhanced employee access with effective wireless monitoring and seamless roaming
Our use case for ExtremeWireless is to allow our employees to access the company systems The monitoring systems in ExtremeWireless have been very effective, and they are cheaper than other products. It provides better monitoring logs and detailed logs compared to Cisco Wireless. The most…
Mohammad Talha Talkin Alam - PeerSpot reviewer
Reliable network creation and management with an efficient setup process
My primary use case involves creating SSIDs and defining VLANs within the VLAN using Fortinet FortiWLM. I have been working with Wi-Fi access points for network connectivity I primarily use Fortinet FortiWLM for creating SSIDs and defining VLANs. While there isn't much focus on security, layer…

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"ExtremeWireless provides us with enterprise-level authentication methods at an excellent cost. It supports all the latest authentication methods. Another advantage is the built-in DHCP server. We don't need third-party DHCP servers to get the IPF."
"The most valuable features of ExtremeWireless include the management through the one dashboard management with ActionCloud IQ, integrated with Site Engine."
"The most valuable feature is stability."
"The monitoring system is integrated with AI features."
"The wireless security solution is the most valuable feature of ExtremeWireless."
"It's cloud-based and very easy to deploy."
"The initial setup was easy."
"The platform's most valuable feature is the ability of its access points to adapt and self-heal."
"The setup was easy."
"For me, the ease of setup and the rugged nature in harsh environments are most valuable. So, durability and ease of use have been its best features."
"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 product is a stable solution."
"I use Fortinet FortiWLM for wireless communication and the internet."
"With Fortinet, there is a feature called Network-In-Control. It's the AP controller that decides what the clients are going to connect to... Even though your phone sees, let's say, two APs, since the wireless controller has visibility into and access across all the APs, it knows the best AP for the client to connect to. This way, the controller makes sure that none of the APs is over-crowded, and the spectrum is used properly."
"Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"At the moment, particularly with the COVID-19 situation, the most valuable feature is probably the IPsec VPN, which is easy to implement with Fortinet."
 

Cons

"The performance of the access points could be improved. ExtremeWireless coverage and signal stability could be enhanced to match the level of Ruckus Wireless and other vendors."
"They could provide different product models. Additionally, there could be a feature to manage devices."
"ExtremeWireless support isn't very good."
"The solution should offer better support."
"The management portal is in need of improvement."
"The performance of the access points could be improved."
"The cost is a little high."
"The solution must include integrated IoT solutions on their wireless APs."
"The range needs some improvement and also the stability."
"Areas for improvement would be the compatibility with Apple products and cross-platform integration."
"In the next release, they could improve by adding a controller-less server, or architecture that is provided in other solutions, such as Aruba. This would be a great benefit for customers."
"The interface could certainly do with some improvement. We have other customers with WiFi networks, and they always use Ubiquiti. With Ubiquiti, it's a much better user interface, and it is much easier to configure."
"There are currently issues with Fortinet's software quality."
"I have used Cisco previously and I don't see any specific differences from Fortinet FortiWLM or other vendors."
"The roaming of Fortinet FortiWLM could improve when comparing it to other solutions. We are missing some of the functionality in the controller. Additionally, they should offer more logs instead of using FortiAnalyzer because all the users will not be using the same thing."
"In terms of improvements, the price is higher than I would like. A reduction in pricing would be beneficial."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The pricing is reasonable."
"ExtremeWireless isn't budget-friendly. The hardware costs around 20,000 Indian rupees. We're still using an older controller, so it doesn't require a license, unlike the newest versions of the ExtremeWireless controller."
"The price of the solution overall is expensive. Additionally, the controller and license are expensive. We pay for an annual subscription."
"It's not as expensive as some and is scalable to our needs."
"There are both paid and free licenses of the cloud environment, with only basic functionality in the free version."
"We pay approximately $30,000 per year."
"I rate the product's pricing a three or four out of ten."
"The license cost per AP is about $150 USD."
"The solution is fairly priced."
"If a customer already is a FortiGate customer, the cost to go to the FortiAP is incredibly affordable, because you already have the controller."
"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."
"Support contracts typically cost approximately $100.00 per year."
"To save yourself from increased setup and maintenance costs, I highly recommend undertaking a proper site survey from the beginning."
"There is a perpetual license required for this solution and the price could be reduced."
"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."
"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
14%
Computer Software Company
13%
Government
10%
Comms Service Provider
6%
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
7%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

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 is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?
While the pricing of Fortinet FortiWLM is a bit high, it remains effective. However, the cost could be better if reduced.
What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?
In terms of improvements, the price is higher than I would like. A reduction in pricing would be beneficial.
 

Also Known As

No data available
FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

St. Xavier High School, Americatel, Diamond Light Source
Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Find out what your peers are saying about ExtremeWireless vs. Fortinet FortiWLM and other solutions. Updated: June 2025.
860,632 professionals have used our research since 2012.