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Fortinet FortiWLM vs Huawei Wireless 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

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
Huawei Wireless
Ranking in Wireless LAN
9th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
7.3
Number of Reviews
36
Ranking in other categories
No ranking in other categories
 

Mindshare comparison

As of March 2026, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 2.9%, up from 2.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Huawei Wireless is 5.5%, down from 5.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Wireless LAN Mindshare Distribution
ProductMindshare (%)
Huawei Wireless5.5%
Fortinet FortiWLM2.9%
Other91.6%
Wireless LAN
 

Q&A Highlights

SS
Sr. Technical Executive at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Feb 08, 2021
 

Featured Reviews

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.
Fahad Doguwa - PeerSpot reviewer
Deputy Manager at Central Bank of Nigeria
Affordable platform with efficient analytics features
Huawei adapters have facilitated seamless integration with mobile devices, extending the LAN's reach. Additionally, including CampusInsight, a component offering analytics and visibility into wireless connectivity, has proven invaluable. This feature enables us to monitor network health and troubleshoot user-related issues efficiently. The reliability has had a positive impact on our operations. I advise others to go for Cisco if cost is not a factor. Otherwise, they can explore other options based on the availability of that OEM within the country. We have Huawei present in our country and provide all the necessary support, so we went forward with them. I rate it a nine out of ten.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Overall, I would rate the solution a ten out of ten."
"I have not faced any issues with stability or downtime."
"The most valuable features of this solution are its speed, reliability, and integration with the firewall."
"The firewall integration is very important for the security of the connection."
"This is the only product on the market currently that supports as many access points for wifi users."
"I was extremely surprised by the single-pane-of-glass management; you don't really realize, until you're actually working with it, how powerful it is and how much time it saves you, and how much, in the long run, by going with the Security Fabric, you get increased security cost savings, and a better view of what's going on."
"Having the single pane of glass, by using the Fortinet Security Fabric, allows us to tighten security, and more easily and quickly create additional VLANs to help protect data. Rules in the firewall mean we can protect data and systems so that, should anything go wrong, any security issue is held to an individual device."
"The greatest advantage is the security fabric Fortinet offers."
"Installation is easy."
"From an implementation perspective, it's easy. I rate it a nine on a scale of one to ten, where one is a difficult setup, and ten is an easy setup."
"The solution is easily managed compared to other wireless solutions."
"I am impressed with the tool's seamless integration."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its simplicity."
"The solution is easy to set up."
"The best feature of Huawei Wireless is the quick and fast setup."
"It is easy to set up."
 

Cons

"In terms of improvements, the price is higher than I would like. A reduction in pricing would be beneficial."
"There is very little publicly available information about Virtual Cell and Single Channel Architecture."
"There is one thing that I find extremely strange, and this something that is unique to Fortinet, and it isn't a positive at all."
"The guest management features need to be improved by adding automation."
"They need to do more with their marketing. That's what's wrong with them. Nobody knows they do all this other stuff. I love the product. For an enterprise-level system, you never have to explain why you're recommending Fortinet, whereas you might have to do that if you want to use the Ubiquiti Professional or the new Netgear line, but you don't have to explain Fortinet. It has been remarkable to work with."
"I have used Cisco previously and I don't see any specific differences from Fortinet FortiWLM or other vendors."
"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."
"Documentation could be improved."
"Technical support could be better."
"The scalability could be better."
"The solution needs to include a captive portal."
"The speed could be a bit better."
"The demo program is an area for improvement in Huawei Wireless as it's hard to use. As a partner, you can use the solution for free, for thirty days, for example. On paper, everything looks fine, but you have to get permission and explain why you want to download the software, even if it's just for demo purposes. I don't get why I have to do this as a partner and still give an explanation that this would be for a demo setup. Downloading the solution isn't a click-and-install process that should go smoothly and efficiently. You have to get a lot of approvals and explain a lot, and in the end, you find out that you received the approval for one piece of software. It looks like you need additional software to use the software. My company asked for approval and received the approval three days later, but you need to install another software to use some of the features. In the past, most features were separate. Because Huawei wants a single pane of glass where all features should work with the Huawei equipment, Huawei decided to combine everything into the iMaster NCE Campus, which incorporates every other cloud solution. However, you still have to ask for approval for every piece of software, and without clear information on the features, the type of software, and the software files required, it's not so good from my point of view."
"They should include more security features in the solution."
"What needs improvement in Huawei Wireless is after-sales support. I've faced many after-sales support issues, so that's the area I want Huawei to improve. Having an SLA with customers is what I'd suggest to Huawei Wireless."
"Given that Wi-Fi 7 is a new protocol, compatibility with other devices like phones and computers that lack this technology could be enhanced."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"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."
"If a customer already is a FortiGate customer, the cost to go to the FortiAP is incredibly affordable, because you already have the controller."
"Licensing has become easier. There is no longer a per-AP license needed on the controller."
"Fortinet FortiWLM's pricing is regular and competitive."
"The solution is expensive. I give the solution a one out of ten for the price."
"The product is highly expensive. I rate the pricing a ten."
"Support contracts typically cost approximately $100.00 per year."
"For indoor access points, there is a one-time cost, upfront, whereas outdoor access points have an annual fee."
"The price of Huawei Wireless is reasonable. The licenses are active, and everything is working fine as per the license agreement."
"Its price is reasonable."
"I would rate the tool's pricing a seven out of ten."
"The platform is less costly than one of its competitors. I rate the pricing a three out of ten."
"Huawei Wireless is an expensive product. I'm rating it as one out of ten, price-wise."
"I pay monthly for the solution."
"Right now, my company made a one-time purchase of Huawei Wireless. It depends, but in most of the projects where customers buy hardware with some software, it's a one-time purchase. Customers pay a yearly fee for other projects for support and additional software features, such as email protection firmware updates for cybersecurity. You'll also receive information about the latest attacks and get more protection if you pay an additional fee apart from the standard license fee. You'll also get an additional warranty for Huawei Wireless, a yearly contract."
"Extras come with a surcharge."
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Answers from the Community

SS
Sr. Technical Executive at a computer software company with 11-50 employees
Feb 8, 2021
Feb 8, 2021
All are good selections, and this question is difficult to answer without knowing your throughput requirements, as each vendor has multiple models within there series. Personally I recommend looking at Arista Networks’ cognitive Wifi, where controllers are a thing of the past.
2 out of 7 answers
AT
Director of Technical Services at CTM
Feb 17, 2020
Hi, It is all dependent on the size of the controllers in question. Though I would suggest getting a cloud base technology so you are limited by any controller and have much better redundancy. Take a look at Arista Cognitive Wireless
IA
Group IT Manager at a manufacturing company with 1,001-5,000 employees
Feb 17, 2020
Hi, Every one of the mentioned solutions is good but you need to check the needs which are security since the firms you are working with need protection and tracking of data. For this reason, I recommend: - if you have FortiGate installed then go for Fortinet Wireless since they can be integrated with the Fortigate without buying a controller and they work perfectly together and you will get the advantage of applying rules to the client himself whether mobile or computer, easily managed & monitored, more visibility over your network and incident notifications. If the above doesn't apply then you can go with the best one that fits your budget and security needs which for me doesn't fall on the mentioned solution but to go with ARUBA Instant Access Wireless Solution and the reasons are as such: - Cisco is too much expensive and you got to pay smart support with some complexity in configuration and you need to buy a controller - Ruckus is good but when you want to have the security you need to buy a controller with licenses and it won't give you the security needed since it is just a wireless solution - Huawei is not a stable company since it had many ups and downs and they can reach with you to have all the solutions nearly free so that you install their brand. Whereas Aruba you don't need a controller in the Instant access points and you will get the minimum security with radius integration and what is important a lifetime warranty on the access points. In addition, if the number of access points increased and you want more detailed management and more advanced configurations, you can buy a controller either on-premises or on-cloud with Aruba. The above information is based on my experience with all the solutions and their POC. If you need any more details and consultancy, kindly feel free to contact me. Regards.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Manufacturing Company
8%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Healthcare Company
7%
Educational Organization
7%
Manufacturing Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
9%
Comms Service Provider
8%
Computer Software Company
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business18
Midsize Enterprise5
Large Enterprise5
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business17
Midsize Enterprise8
Large Enterprise12
 

Questions from the Community

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.
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 do you like most about Huawei Wireless?
The reliability has had a positive impact on our operations.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Huawei Wireless?
For SMB customers with limited wireless users, Huawei Wireless may not be suitable due to the lack of multiple access points and the need for a centralized SSID. However, for large-capacity custome...
 

Also Known As

FortiWLM, FortiAP, Fortinet AP/OAP, Meru Wireless LAN
Huawei WLAN
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data
Anhui Agricultural University (AAU), China Everbright Bank
Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Huawei Wireless and other solutions. Updated: March 2026.
884,933 professionals have used our research since 2012.