Fortinet FortiWLM vs Juniper WLC Series comparison

Fortinet and Juniper are both solutions in the Wireless LAN category. Fortinet is ranked #12 with an average rating of 8.7, while Juniper is ranked #17 with an average rating of 8.6. Fortinet holds a 1.9% mindshare in Wireless LAN, compared to Juniper’s 1.1% mindshare. Additionally, 96% of Fortinet users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 100% of Juniper users who would recommend it.

Fortinet FortiWLM

Read 29 Fortinet FortiWLM reviews

1,791 Views
1,648 Comparison Views

96% willing to recommend

Juniper WLC Series

Read 14 Juniper WLC Series reviews

799 Views
791 Comparison Views

100% willing to recommend

Fortinet FortiWLM

Juniper WLC Series

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Download the report

Executive SummaryUpdated on Oct 31, 2024

Juniper WLC Series and Fortinet FortiWLM are competitive wireless management solutions that offer unique advantages. While Juniper WLC Series provides cost benefits and effective support, Fortinet FortiWLM excels with its feature-rich environment justifying a higher investment through superior satisfaction.

Features: Juniper WLC Series delivers high performance and ease of use with detailed templates for network reliability but lacks advanced programmability. Fortinet FortiWLM's Security Fabric, unified management through FortiGate, and ease of deployment enhance security and manageability across diverse environments.

Room for Improvement: Juniper WLC Series needs better traffic monitoring, cloud integration, and cost-efficiency improvements. Fortinet FortiWLM should enhance its reporting capabilities, manageability, and adaptability for smaller organizations, facing challenges with service contract costs.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Both solutions offer robust on-premises support. Juniper's effective templates support easy deployment, although ongoing support is impacted by its development status. Fortinet provides comprehensive technical support and documentation, ensuring efficient client service.

Pricing and ROI: Juniper WLC Series, though costly, offers significant savings and ROI, with manageable licensing costs. Fortinet FortiWLM, competitively priced, helps in long-term cost reduction and budget efficiency, despite complexities in service contract management.

To learn more, read our detailed Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series Report (Updated: September 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series

September 2025

Download the complete report

Helped 868,787 peers since 2012

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

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Juniper WLC Series

Ranking in Wireless LAN

17th

Average Rating

8.6

Reviews Sentiment

7.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Wireless LAN category, the mindshare of Fortinet FortiWLM is 1.9%, down from 2.1% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Juniper WLC Series is 1.1%, up from 0.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Wireless LAN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Fortinet FortiWLM	1.9%
Juniper WLC Series	1.1%
Other	97.0%

Wireless LAN

Featured Reviews

LuayHlaleh

Information Technology Team Lead at TechnoPeak

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.

Read full review

Matilda Elwell

Technical Team Leader - Network &Security at STAFFORDSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL

Offers visibility and cost benefits

The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"This is the only product on the market currently that supports as many access points for wifi users."

"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."

"We can deploy a tunnel-based VLAN and SSID, for something that happens at the last minute, in a matter of minutes, because of the interaction between the FortiGate, the FortiSwitches, and the FortiAPs."

"The most useful aspect of Fortinet FortiWLM is that you can manage all the Fortinet products from one portal, from one device."

"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."

"Fortinet FortiWLM is good for tracking assets, monitoring, and overall management."

"The security is a valuable feature."

"The most valuable features are central management and the many other features available."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pros

"The tool has given us more visibility, but I'm not very technical, so I can't comment on specific features. However, the diagnostic tools for identifying system issues have greatly improved, which we appreciate. We still use Cisco ICE for authentication on the Juniper network, as we did before. We've seen cost benefits with the Juniper WLC Series, which was a key factor in our decision-making during the proof of concept. Besides cost improvements, we've also noticed better resolution of issues and faults in our help desk, thanks to the enhanced features."

"The installation process is very easy."

"It prevents a large number of unauthorized modifications of access point devices."

"The AI integration with Marvis is very valuable."

"Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment."

"There weren't any scalability issues, the product did what it had to do."

"The installation process is nice and easy."

"The Artificial Intelligence on offer is very useful."

More Juniper WLC Series pros

Cons

"The initial setup is complex and has room for improvement."

"I have used Cisco previously and I don't see any specific differences from Fortinet FortiWLM or other vendors."

"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."

"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 price could be reduced by 20%. In Dubai, UniFi costs 700 dirham for the UniFi Pro 7th generation. For Fortinet FortiWLM, a similar model would cost around 1,300 dirham."

"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 pricing model can be improved to encourage use by small business and individuals and the hardware could stand to be redesigned."

"Technical support is very poor. We are not satisfied with the technical support because there is not any direct person from Fortinet for any troubleshooting, which we expected."

More Fortinet FortiWLM cons

"The biggest issue was that Juniper stopped developing, so we had to look for another solution."

"There could be more information from the controller, and it could be easier to work with the controller lights. It's not easy to bring up the upgrades."

"The network coverage of Juniper WLC Series and Cisco is different. We need to add additional access points."

"There could be a high level of security."

"We would prefer it if the solution could be less expensive."

"Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE."

"The solution could offer more integration with other products."

"Juniper WLC Series has certain shortcomings in traffic monitoring."

More Juniper WLC Series cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"Fortinet would do something with their pricing model to attract smaller business users and eliminate the mandatory service contracts."

"To save yourself from increased setup and maintenance costs, I highly recommend undertaking a proper site survey from the beginning."

"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."

"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."

"The solution is expensive. I give the solution a one out of ten for the price."

"In the last few years, due in part to the impact of COVID on the market, Fortinet has increased its prices by 35 percent."

More Fortinet FortiWLM pricing and cost advice

"The product is relatively affordable for enterprise companies."

"There is a certain amount that needs to be paid towards the licensing charges associated with the product, but though I am not sure, I feel the licenses that we have in our company are for three years."

"The solution's pricing is reasonable."

"Juniper WLC Series is a bit pricey but worth its cost."

"The licensing cost is quite high, but considering it's an enterprise solution, the complexity justifies the price."

See which vendors are best for you

Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Wireless LAN solutions are best for your needs.

See recommendations

868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

14%

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Healthcare Company

Computer Software Company

11%

Financial Services Firm

Manufacturing Company

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	19
Midsize Enterprise	3
Large Enterprise	5

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	7
Midsize Enterprise	4
Large Enterprise	4

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Fortinet FortiWLM?

The security is a valuable feature.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Fortinet FortiWLM?

Regarding functionality, a lower price for Fortinet FortiWLM would be better, but it's difficult. Regarding the integration with other vendors, we try to buy only products from a single vendor to a...

See all answers

What needs improvement with Fortinet FortiWLM?

The price could be reduced by 20%. In Dubai, UniFi costs 700 dirham for the UniFi Pro 7th generation. For Fortinet FortiWLM, a similar model would cost around 1,300 dirham. If this price was reduce...

See all answers

What do you like most about Juniper WLC Series?

Juniper WLC Series is a very high-performance device designed for indoor wireless deployment.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Juniper WLC Series?

Juniper lacks a network access control agent similar to solutions like Alubakya Path and Cisco ISE. There should be a network access control engine. Some customers find it challenging as they do no...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Juniper WLC Series?

I work with Juniper service provider solutions. I have a service provider customer and some enterprise customers in retail.

See all answers

Comparisons

Aruba Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 27% of the time

Cisco Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 18% of the time

Cambium Networks Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 12% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 11% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Fortinet FortiWLM

Compared 10% of the time

More Fortinet FortiWLM Competitors

Cisco Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 37% of the time

Aruba Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 30% of the time

Ruckus Wireless vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 27% of the time

Cisco Meraki Wireless LAN vs Juniper WLC Series

Compared 5% of the time

More Juniper WLC Series Competitors

Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM

September 2025

Download Fortinet FortiWLM product report

Buyer's Guide

Wireless LAN

August 2025

Download Juniper WLC Series product report

Also Known As

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

Juniper WLAN

Overview

Consolidate security and wireless LAN management with our integrated wireless solutions. Single-pane-of-glass management for security and access without the need to add point products simplifies deployment and reduces management complexity. These solutions are highly scalable to support even the largest organizations and distributed enterprises.

Fortinet

WLC Series Wireless LAN Controllers deliver and manage wireless local area networks with the highest level of reliability, performance, security, and management in the industry. They integrate secure, wireless LANs with any size wired infrastructures, from small branch offices to the largest enterprise or university campus.

Juniper

Sample Customers

Black Gold Regional Schools, Amadeus Hospitality, Jefferson County, Chunghwa Telecom, City of Boroondara, Dimension Data

Apollo Hotel Papendrecht, Armstrong Atlantic State University, Bajaj Capital, Baloise Insurance, BAS Group, Borealis, Danish Crown, Deloitte Belgium, Jan Yperman Hospital, Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca, MercaSID, S.A., NHTV Breda University, Parklands College and Christopher Robin Pre-Primary, San Antonio Community Hospital, Sandia National Laboratories, Springfield Public Schools (SPS), St. Catherine University, TalkTalk, The Education Village, University of Copenhagen, University of the Highlands and Islands, University of the West of Scotland (UWS), Valdosta State University, Waikato Institute of Technology (Wintec), zulily

Buyer's Guide

Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series

September 2025

Free Report: Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series

Find out what your peers are saying about Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series and other solutions. Updated: September 2025.

DOWNLOAD NOW

868,787 professionals have used our research since 2012.

See our Fortinet FortiWLM vs. Juniper WLC Series report.

See our list of best Wireless LAN vendors.

We monitor all Wireless LAN reviews to prevent fraudulent reviews and keep review quality high. We do not post reviews by company employees or direct competitors. We validate each review for authenticity via cross-reference with LinkedIn, and personal follow-up with the reviewer when necessary.