Cisco WAN Network Interface Module - serial adapter - RS-232/449/530/V.35/X.21 x 2
$1,079.60
$693.99
Mfg # NIM-2T=
CDW # 3570766
| UNSPSC 43222609
Know your gear
The Cisco WAN Network Interface Module offers reliable and effective WAN connections for remote sites. This 2-port Serial WAN Interface Card, in a plug-in form factor, provides a data transfer rate of 8 Mb/s through a wired connection. It features a 12-in-1 connector and supports V.35, RS232, X.21, RS449, RS530 and RS530A interfaces for convenient and flexible usage. This Cisco serial adapter adheres to multiple compliant safety standards for secure usage.
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Cisco WAN Network Interface Module - serial adapter is rated
4.30 out of
5 by
35.
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1995807 from
Reliable with a straightforward setup and easy to expand
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used to manage our access points in all our company branches.
What is most valuable?
I like Cisco due to the fact that it's reliable. It has worked well since 2008 without issues.
It's scalable.
The initial setup is straightforward.
What needs improvement?
Azure needs work. We use it as the wireless controller of Cisco. It's a bit buggy. The UI needs to be more responsive.
Technical support could be more helpful.
The solution is expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution since 2008.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and reliable and offers good performance. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is very scalable. It's easy to expand.
We have about 3,000 employees that use the solution.
The setup is in an airport, and we have passengers that also need the portal for the internet. We have a lot of people using the solution.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support could be improved. They are helpful. However, they could be better.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We did not previously use a different solution.
How was the initial setup?
The solution is very easy. It's straightforward and not difficult at all.
The deployment only takes a few hours. It's not a long process.
We have about five people that can handle any maintenance tasks. That includes maybe one engineer and four administrators.
What about the implementation team?
We handled the deployment ourselves. We didn't need the assistance of a third party.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay a yearly licensing fee, and it is expensive. I'm not sure of the exact amount we pay.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I'm currently looking into Aruba.
What other advice do I have?
We have a lot of equipment from Cisco. We are customers and end-users.
I'm not on the latest version of the solution. That said, I'm renovating my wireless environment.
I'd recommend the solution to others. It is good. However, it costs a lot. I'm currently looking for something more cost-effective.
I would rate the solution eight out of ten. There is no master controller for the controllers. When we have access points in different buildings, I need a centralized management system to achieve redundancy and operations simplicity.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-11-12T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dora Hu from
Easy to deploy company-wide and support is helpful at first but gets worse over time
What is our primary use case?
We primarily used the solution for wireless connectivity. We used it for daily work. We use our own laptops, and the solution allows us to connect to the network at work.
How has it helped my organization?
Cisco does not work well in China. We've moved over to Aruba.
What is most valuable?
The solution was deployed school-wide. We used everything Cisco, not just wireless. It works great with other Cisco tools.
What needs improvement?
The solution is not well received in China. It gave us headaches as it doesn't work well in the company.
It is difficult to get support from Cisco.
The cost is fairly high for licensing.
Scalability could be better.
Stability is hit or miss if you have other Cisco integrations.
Cisco Firewall cannot recognize some applications and that makes dealing with policies difficult. Even when we whitelist, it does not work well.
For how long have I used the solution?
My company started using Cisco in 2011. We upgraded in 2015 and realized that the solution does not provide good service in China, and we have since moved away from it and toward Aruba.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is hard to qualify. It is around seven out of ten in terms of reliability. Without other Cisco integrations, it is stable. If there are more Cisco integrations, like Cisco SE, stability becomes more difficult.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I'd rate the scalability seven out of ten. It is not extremely scalable.
We have around 500 users and around 800 or 900 devices. Some users have many devices.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support was not helpful or responsive. At the beginning stage, they were very good; however, over time, they grew worse and worse. When I worked with Cisco Firewall before, we tried to get help for a whole year, and nobody could help us, so we gave up.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've recently moved from Cisco to Aruba. I've noticed a few differences between the two, and I'm trying to educate myself on both solutions. Aruba made a late delivery, so we just finished setting it up last month.
We use Aruba for everything and Palo Alto for Firewalls.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup depends on the environment. The Cisco Wireless part is easy, however, when deploying other Cisco applications, we had a lot of trouble, and it made the network more complicated.
I'd rate the ease of setup seven out of ten.
I cannot recall how long the deployment took. It was deployed a long time ago.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco is expensive. We renew the licensing yearly. I cannot recall how much we paid for this product specifically.
What other advice do I have?
I'd rate the solution six out of ten. I would not recommend the solution. We had a lot of issues with it.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-04-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Emmanuel Musuwo from
Good support and easy to use
What is our primary use case?
It's for networking, specifically for network access to our Internet.
How has it helped my organization?
Around 50 people are using Cisco Wireless WAN in my company. They are mainly developers and the IT team.
What is most valuable?
One of the main advantages is the support Cisco offer. They provide good support, and it is easy to use.
What needs improvement?
There is room for improvement in terms of pricing.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for six years. We are not using the latest version; therefore, we are exploring other potential solutions before upgrading.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I would rate stability a nine out of ten. It is quite stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I would rate Cisco's scalability an eight out of ten. It is a scalable product.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not complex, and installing the solution completely takes more than an hour.
What about the implementation team?
A third-party expert, a service provider, did the deployment for Cisco Wireless WAN.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is quite an expensive model.
What other advice do I have?
I would definitely recommend using Cisco Wireless WAN.
Overall, I would rate Cisco a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:
Date published: 2023-04-05T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ANKIT GAJJAR from
Reliable with good manageability and control
What is most valuable?
The manageability and control are excellent.
It is stable.
The solution scales well.
We didn't have any issues setting it up.
Technical support was helpful.
What needs improvement?
It needs to increase its strength in capacity. We'd like to cover more areas for WiFi accessibility.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for more than ten years. It's been a long time.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability has been good. there are no bugs or glitches and we haven't had issues with it crashing or freezing. It's reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale if a company needs it to expand.
We do want to expand usage. We're looking into 2025 already and are looking for what will meet our future requirements.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support has been good. We are satisfied with the level of support we receive.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We've always used Cisco. We've used Cisco for a long time. However, we are looking for something that offers more features and more options. If that's Cisco, great, if that's something else, we are open to it.
We also used Aruba and Ubiquiti in the past.
How was the initial setup?
It's an easy initial setup. The process is straightforward.
What was our ROI?
We have not witnessed any ROI.
What other advice do I have?
We are a Cisco partner.
This is a good product and we've had no issues with it.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-06-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Rahul Khandelwal from
Reasonably priced solution with good security monitoring and management
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are CleanAir, Rogue Detection, and the auto-calculation of RF.
What needs improvement?
There are a number of areas for improvement in Cisco Wireless WAN, including sensitive applications which face issues on wireless stuff and difficulty troubleshooting. In the next release, Cisco should include more troubleshooting features, especially for sensitive applications like Teams and other voice and video applications. There should be easy ways to analyze the wireless network to find where the problem is.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using this solution for eight years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Wireless networks are never stable because they're always impacted by multiple reasons.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's technical support is good - you get instant support, and most of the engineers are good and highly skilled (though not all, so some cases can take longer).
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is simple for enterprise users, but it's very complex for DYOD and guest networks.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco's pricing is reasonable.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco Wireless WAN is most suitable for enterprise companies. Before choosing this solution, remember that there are other good solutions, including Aruba and Ruckus, so you should explore which solution is best for your organization. I would give Cisco Wireless WAN a rating of eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-06-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Sumanth Myneni from
Robust, good support, and scalable
What is our primary use case?
We are using Cisco Wireless WAN for our branch WAN connectivity. We use it for wireless. It's the heart of the networking of our enterprise.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Wireless WAN's most valuable feature is it is robust.
What needs improvement?
The price of Cisco Wireless WAN could improve, it is expensive.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability of Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
We have approximately 200,000 users using this solution. We have no plan to increase the number of users.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support for Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other solutions previously.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup of Cisco Wireless WAN is straightforward.
The time it takes for the implementation of the solution depends on the solution you are deploying. The wireless controllers take a couple of hours, switches are fairly quick, and data center switches could take a few hours. With routers, it takes a few hours depending on the requirement, the location, and the type of connection, it varies between one hour to eight hours.
What about the implementation team?
I used a consultant for the deployment of Cisco Wireless WAN.
We have approximately 20 engineers that support the solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of Cisco Wireless WAN is expensive. There is an annual subscription to use the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-05-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Julian Ortega from
Issue-free with helpful support and good reliability
What is our primary use case?
We just basically use it for wireless throughout our office space.
What is most valuable?
We never had any issues with it. I can't really say that I had any issues or didn't like the product.
It just gives you the ability to use it around the office without being tied up to an actual physical connection.
The initial setup is pretty straightforward.
I've found the solution to be very reliable.
The solution can scale.
Technical support is helpful.
The pricing is pretty reasonable.
What needs improvement?
I cannot recall any areas of improvement.
A lot of the time, for users, it comes down to pricing. Many would like to see it be a bit less costly.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I've had zero issues with the stability of the product. It doesn't crash or freeze. It's reliable. There are no bugs or glitches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco offers very responsive technical support. They are helpful.
How was the initial setup?
The product's initial setup is pretty straightforward. It's one of the things that you set up, and you don't really touch after. You set it up, and basically, you don't worry about it.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We but the equipment. There is no monthly or annual licensing.
The pricing is okay. They offer pretty competitive pricing.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We're currently a Cisco shop, and we were thinking about possibly looking into different firewall vendors next year to get an opinion on the different technologies on their next-generation firewalls, just to see what made the most sense as far as comparing different vendors.
We looked at one point, at Fortinet. It is a good platform. I would definitely try to switch to Fortinet if I can. The whole platform pricing standpoint from Fortinet is good. It's a possibility that on our end, we might be switching over to them. Apples to apples, Cisco and Fortinet are very similar and both are quite good.
What other advice do I have?
I'm a customer and end-user.
I'd rate the solution ten out of ten. I've never had any issues with the product.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-11-27T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Mahesh Surrun from
Has a cellular module and is secure
What is most valuable?
Let's say you are in Mauritius right now and that you have a company here. You have set up Cisco Wireless WAN in the company, and you are using your laptop and are connected to the Wi-Fi. For instance, if you go abroad to another branch of the same company and you use your laptop there, your device will still be connected to the Wi-Fi in your office in Mauritius. You don't need to type in the password again.
It's very secure.
I also like that now you can add a cellular connection to the Cisco router. So, if your operator is down, you can now still have one connection in the office with the cellular module.
What needs improvement?
The interface is a little bit difficult to understand at times. It would be good if Cisco were to make it user friendly so that everyone can easily configure it without the need to do certifications and courses to learn how to use all of the devices.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is a stable solution.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to deploy.
What other advice do I have?
It's a good solution, and I would rate it at eight on a scale from one to ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-04-02T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Renato Piza from
Beneficial management, responsive support, and simple web interface
What is most valuable?
The most valuable feature of Cisco Wireless WAN is the ease of management.
What needs improvement?
We have had some problems connecting to the internet with Cisco Wireless WAN, but it is not the equipment or configuration. Additionally, the integration with access control security could improve.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately five years.
How are customer service and support?
The support is useful and has helped us resolve issues we have had.
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Cisco Wireless WAN is easy using the web interface.
What about the implementation team?
I have a team that does the implementation and configuration of the solution.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-05-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1209606 from
Provides good visibility and is reliable and scalable
What is our primary use case?
We're a higher ed campus. So, we have Cisco Wireless prevalent throughout all of our buildings for students, faculty, and staff to access the network.
We are using its latest version.
What is most valuable?
Reliability and visibility in the product are most valuable. We are able to see client performance, signal strength for clients, and things like that.
What needs improvement?
The cost and support should be improved, and there should be support for the 6E standard.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have about 25 years of experience.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Its stability is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Its scalability is good.
How are customer service and support?
It's hit and miss with tech support. If you get a good engineer, things go well. Oftentimes, you'll get a new engineer or a first-line engineer who is not so good.
How was the initial setup?
It was straightforward.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of licensing should be improved.
What other advice do I have?
My advice would be to negotiate the price as much as you can.
I would rate it an eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-05-06T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ahmed Hawana from
Problem-free with good performance capabilities and a simple setup
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for wireless access. It allows, for example, mobile users, to connect.
What is most valuable?
The solution has been very stable so far and the performance overall is quite good.
We have found that the product scales well.
The solution is easy to implement.
What needs improvement?
The solution could lower its pricing to make it more affordable. Cisco is expensive in general.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for three years at this point. We've used the product for a while.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. It offers very good performance. The reliability is excellent in that it doesn't crash or freeze and there are no bugs or glitches to deal with.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. If a company needs to expand it, it can do so.
We have around 1,000 users on the solution currently.
How are customer service and support?
We've never had the need to contact technical support from Cisco. It's been issue-free. therefore, I can't speak to helpful or responsive they would be.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I did not switch from a different solution. We've always used Cisco.
How was the initial setup?
We had no issues setting up the solution. the implementation is easy and pretty straightforward. I wouldn't describe it as complex or difficult. Configuring and installation were issue-free. It doesn't take too much time.
You only need two technical people to set up and manage the product. It's not maintenance-intensive.
What about the implementation team?
The installation was pretty fast. We didn't need any help from integrators or consultants.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
This is a rather expensive product.
We pay a yearly fee for the license and support services.
What other advice do I have?
We are using the latest version of the solution at this time.
I would rate the solution a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-04-14T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
RaymondCash from
It's a reliable, user-friendly solution
What is most valuable?
Cisco Wireless WAN is user-friendly.
What needs improvement?
If there's a problem, it's usually when Cisco pushes out updates. The users don't always push the updates to their computer, and it causes some issues. It's reliable as long as everyone is doing what they're supposed to.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
We don't see many troubleshooting issues. Normally, it's a user error when it comes to the JSS or the VPN. Once they log into the system or they get on the internet, then they log directly into the JSS, so they can do their work.
There isn't much that can go wrong with the system itself. Any instability is usually caused by internet service provider not providing enough bandwidth to do some of the functions.
How are customer service and support?
We do tech support for a lot of stuff that goes wrong with these computers on a daily basis, but fortunately, the Cisco VPN's just not one of them that we have an issue with.
How was the initial setup?
Cisco Wireless WAN is part of our imaging software. When we image the computers, it goes on there. When a new user comes and gets a computer, we show them how to log into the VPN or log onto the internet. Once you click the button, you're logged in. There's no complexity. It's really user-friendly.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN nine out of 10. My only advice to future Cisco Wireless users is to keep your system updated. Don't delay updates because that's what usually causes problems. People don't accept the updates and put them off because they're doing other things.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-05-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Md Manirul Islam from
Useful dashboards, secure, and good support
What is our primary use case?
Cisco Wireless WAN works well in an enterprise environment.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features of Cisco Wireless WAN are the dashboards, security functionality, and Cisco DNA center. The way the solution has integrated within the fabric of the environment with automation is very good.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Wireless WAN could improve the wireless environment visibility. For example, the information regarding bandwidth use, conditions of the network, and application visibility.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for approximately five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability of Cisco Wireless WAN is good.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is a scalable solution. You are able to purchase as many licenses as required.
I have worked with this solution in large environments. We have had clients with approximately 2,000 users.
How are customer service and support?
The support from Cisco is good.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used Aruba Wireless.
How was the initial setup?
The setup of Cisco Wireless WAN needs an expert. You need someone with experience to be able to work with Cisco Wireless solutions. It took approximately one to two weeks to implement the solution.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation of Cisco Wireless WAN will need at least a field engineer to do the configuration of the appliance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The license is not subscription-based.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN a ten out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-01-05T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Aladdin Sayed from
Great concept and typically helpful technical support but can be complex to deploy
What is our primary use case?
We are a hotel. We primarily use the solution for wireless access for the hotel and for accommodations.
What is most valuable?
The stability is okay.
The product can scale well.
Technical support can be helpful.
Overall, the concept of the solution is great.
What needs improvement?
The initial setup is somewhat complex.
I need to look deeper into the DNA of the solution before making any suggestions for the solution. I need to do more research.
Sometimes you do not get a good person helping you with technical support.
We did have issues with the product that made us concerned about the overall stability.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
For us, we have some power issues, and we returned many items due to power issues. There may be some models that have some problems with the power. I'm not sure about this, however, when we used some, Cisco responded clearly and they replaced them. However, this experience made us concerned about the overall stability potential.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The scalability is okay. A company can expand it if they need to.
We have over 700 people using the solution currently. They cover all types of roles and at different levels.
We likely will increase usage in the future. I already issued a purchase order to make an incremental increase to the current wireless resolution. That will be something like 5% or 7%.
How are customer service and support?
In many cases, technical support is excellent. In some cases, however, they are not confident enough. They are following a checklist more than problem-solving in some cases. They repeat the same solution many times without results. The tickets are open for a long time. That said, in many cases, they are excellent.
How was the initial setup?
We found the initial setup to be a bit complex. It was not simple or straightforward. I'd rate my experience with the process, at a four out of five.
We deployed the solution over the course of two years.
What about the implementation team?
We both had a vendor assist us and had our in-house team handle some elements of the installation. We did not have a good experience with the third-party service provider.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost was a mix between the license, manpower, and hardware. It was different from layer to layer. The hard costs are only 45% of the actual costs.
What other advice do I have?
I use two different versions of the solution.
Would rate the solution a seven out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
If public cloud, private cloud, or hybrid cloud, which cloud provider do you use?
Other
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-04-07T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Ed Conner from
It has a good GUI, and it's fast and easy to configure
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Wireless WAN 9115s and 9130s. Two are controllers, and the rest, subordinates.
What is most valuable?
Cisco wireless is stable, easy to use, and simple to configure. They have an outstanding GUI.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
You cannot go to different versions or different access points. 9115s cannot interact with 9120s, and 9130s can interact with 9115s. You can add or remove as many subordinates as you want. It's not an issue. It's completely logical.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco support is fantastic. They're knowledgeable and responsive.
How was the initial setup?
Setting up Cisco Wireless is extremely easy. I'm doing one right now, and it usually takes between 15 and 20 minutes.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN nine out of 10. You need to read the documentation carefully when implementing it because you have to go through a step-by-step configuration. Upgrading can be done in two ways: HTTP from the desktop or TFTP. HTTP is extremely easy. You connect with a console cable and do it.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-05-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Amardeep Sharma from
Good performance, stability, and support
What is our primary use case?
The solution is used for our network data centers.
What is most valuable?
The performance, stability, and support are the most valuable features.
What needs improvement?
The price has room for improvement.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
I give the stability a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I give the scalability a nine out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
The technical support is good.
What about the implementation team?
The implementation was completed in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I give the solution an eight out of ten.
Cisco Wireless WAN is not an affordable option, therefore I suggest making sure that the solution meets all the organization's requirements before making a purchase.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-04-16T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
ArunM3 from
Good stability but not very user-friendly
What is our primary use case?
We have around nearly 150 access points. We use Cisco access points for our business core systems for the employees. All the users connect through this wirelessly.
What is most valuable?
Stability is one aspect that I find very valuable. The signal strength is also very strong.
The connectivity is reliable, and it doesn't have many issues.
What needs improvement?
The console interface is not very user-friendly. It's a bit complex and difficult to navigate. Even some integrations can be challenging. But we can manage eventually.
Therefore, for me, some areas of improvement include integration, pricing, and console.
Scalability is easy, it is stable, and configuring certain things like Mac filtering is also simple. However, I feel the need to enhance the security aspect, especially for guest connectivity.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using it for around five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Stability is really good in Cisco Wireless WAN. I would rate it an eight out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
There are no restrictions on scalability. It is a scalable product. We have 150 access points, and there are 350 employees.
How are customer service and support?
The support is good. They have a vendor here currently, and their support is good.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is not difficult. It's easy because we have been using Cisco for a long time.
Moreover, very little maintenance is required. We just perform some checks and minor tasks. There isn't much maintenance required.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is a bit expensive compared to others. So it's a little costly.
For us, this is an all-in-one product. It doesn't have separate licenses. When purchased, the product comes with a license. It's a one-time purchase.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
We were migrating from the on-prem to the cloud version. We made a comparison analysis b/w different technologies.
What other advice do I have?
Cisco wireless on-prem has moved to Cisco Meraki Access, and Cisco Meraki is the better. We can use the cloud solution. The only thing is the price is a little high. Other than that, all the features and security aspects are really good with Cisco.
Overall, I would rate the solution a seven out of ten. The overall rating is seven due to the higher price and the need for enhancements in the console and security features. The guest Wi-Fi and non-console options are lacking in the older version, although I believe the new version might address that.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
Public Cloud
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-05-17T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Eduard Otto from
A very stable wireless LAN solution
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Wireless WAN to provide wireless WAN for our company.
What is most valuable?
I like that it's a very stable solution.
What needs improvement?
The price could be better.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for more than four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
I think we used the smallest controller hardware solution, which was more than enough for us. But it's not scalable. It's okay because we don't have more access points.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. The initial deployment takes me about a day. We have to first set up the controller because it's a controller-based solution and then add access points from them. This will be determined automatically. The configuration is based on the controller and will be pushed to the access points automatically after they have been recognized.
What about the implementation team?
I implemented this solution.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price could be better, but it's been okay. You must pay license fees for each access point connected to the controller.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
I prefer the solution offered by Fortinet better.
What other advice do I have?
I would tell potential users that it's a good solution if they plan to use more Cisco products. This is because it can be integrated into the entire network design.
On a scale from one to ten, I would give Cisco Wireless WAN an eight.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-04-26T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Dev-Patel from
Complex to deploy and the technical support is poor, although the coverage is good
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use this product to provide general wireless network access.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable features are coverage and reliability.
What needs improvement?
The initial setup and deployment should be easier.
The technical support needs to be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been working with Cisco Wireless WAN for between five and six years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
This is a fairly stable wireless solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
This product is scalable, although we have no plans to increase our usage at the moment. We currently have 300 users.
How are customer service and support?
I would rate the technical support a two out of five. It is an area that should be improved, in all aspects.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have used other similar products in the past, including HPE Wireless WAN and Ubiquity Wireless, but this Cisco product is one that the client already had in place.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is complex, and I can't recall how long it took to deploy.
What about the implementation team?
We installed it in-house. We have a team of three or four engineers that are responsible for maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We pay the licensing fees on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
In summary, this is not a product that I recommend.
I would rate this solution a five out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-09-01T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Beomo Mathumo from
A stable and scalable solution that works as access points in organizations
What is our primary use case?
We use the product as access points in our organization.
What is most valuable?
I am impressed with the tool's packet tracing so that connection with the devices is always consistent.
What needs improvement?
The tool's speed and IP address acquisition from the domain controller should be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using the product for ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is stable and I would rate it a nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product is scalable because we can create a mesh network using multiple devices. I would rate it a ten out of ten.
How are customer service and support?
I have contacted the tech support and have got the support that I needed.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The product's setup is straightforward. It is just plug-and-play. The tool's deployment took ten minutes to complete. You would need one staff to manage the tool's deployment and maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
There is no technical staff required for the product's deployment.
What was our ROI?
The product offers good ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The solution is not expensive.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-05-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Thitisuk Surapolchai from
Provides reliability and sustainability for our organization
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Wireless WAN for the network in our office. The solution is deployed on-premises.
There are currently 20 people who use this solution in my organization. They're technical staff and salespeople.
What is most valuable?
I use Cisco because of its reliability.
What needs improvement?
The price could be improved. It can be complicated to configure the solution.
In the next release, it could be more user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have used this solution for 10 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. I would rate the stability as nine out of ten.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's scalable. I would rate the scalability as eight out of ten.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We previously used Linksys. We switched to Cisco because of its sustainability and expandability.
How was the initial setup?
Normal installation isn't complex. Installation takes a couple of hours.
One person is needed for maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
Implementation was done in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The total cost of the solution was about $6,000.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution as eight out of ten. I wouldn't give it 10 out of 10 because the price is high and the solution can be complicated.
I would recommend it to those who are interested in using it.
There's a lot of advice and information on the internet. Some of it may be incorrect, so you just have to try it and see.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2023-01-31T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Alex Uritsky from
Widely available and has a straightforward setup
What is our primary use case?
We use Cisco Wireless WAN in our academic institution, both on the campus-wide and dormitory networks.
What is most valuable?
What I like the most about the solution is how widely available it is.
What needs improvement?
In terms of improvement, there is always something that could be enhanced. For example, we can't change wireless channels in Cisco Meraki due to a recent standard update. We have asked for help, but no solution has been presented to us yet.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using Cisco Wireless WAN for two years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It is a stable solution.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is fairly scalable. There are approximately 44,000 users of Cisco Wireless WAN on the campuses, while in the dormitory areas where Meraki is installed, there are approximately 2,000 users.
How are customer service and support?
Cisco's technical support is very good and they answer quickly.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward. It took about two weeks to get it up and running. An engineer and a technician at our company deployed it. We began by planning access point locations over a couple of days. Using ICAO 610 for setup and having access points with serial numbers made the initial setup quick, taking just a few minutes. Then, we spent a few days configuring the network settings.
What was our ROI?
Our university has experienced a positive return on investment, and I believe Cisco Wireless WAN will continue to benefit us for at least a decade.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
It is quite an expensive solution, but I am positive it is the right choice for our institute. We have an EA for Meraki, so we pay for access once a year as part of our licensing arrangement.
What other advice do I have?
I would recommend Cisco Wireless WAN to anyone who is considering using it. It is a great solution for campuses and universities. Overall, I would rate it a nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-09-21T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Evans Choge from
Helps us in setting up a wireless source for our clients to connect to the VPNs and our data centers
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use case for this solution is setting up a wireless source for our clients to connect to the VPNs and our data centers.
What is most valuable?
We have found the ability to easily increase power valuable. The solution also allows us to increase the power when it's too low.
What needs improvement?
The firewall integration is not great and should be improved.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using this solution for three years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution is scalable. There are approximately 70 people using it in our organization.
How are customer service and support?
We do not have experience with customer service and support because we have not had issues.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup was straightforward, and deployment took five hours.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented the solution in-house, and approximately three people are required for implementation.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution an eight out of ten. I recommend the solution to new users.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-10-30T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Bram Cuppens from
Easy to implement and onboard people with good reliability
What is our primary use case?
We just deliver wireless coverage, general and specific, for auditoriums and stuff like that.
What is most valuable?
The most valuable aspect of the solution is its fast transition.
It’s a stable solution.
The product is scalable.
The implementations are easy.
There’s an easy onboarding process for non-native users.
What needs improvement?
When you have a question related to support, getting direct or faster access to someone technical would be ideal.
The pricing is a bit high.
For how long have I used the solution?
I’ve used the solution for about 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn’t crash or freeze. It’s reliable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The product can scale quite well.
Perhaps we made the right decision as we knew beforehand how much we needed to use through bandwidth, number of users, and number of VPs. We did our homework. We knew which product type/model we had to buy and deploy. That ensures that scaling is easy.
We might have 2,000 to 3,000 users on the solution, depending on the day. They are mostly students.
We likely will expand usage. We're running the next wave of installing extra eight pieces for delivering more coverage, and in a way also more bandwidth or throughput.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support should be faster and more accessible.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I've also used, for example, Aruba.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is very straightforward. It’s not difficult to set up.
I’d rate the solution a two out of five in terms of ease of use with one being the easiest and five being difficult.
What about the implementation team?
The first setup was done in-house. And over the years we had some external consultancy, however, the main setup was done in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The licensing costs are a bit on the high side.
I’d rate the solution a 3.5 out of five in terms of how expensive it is, with five being the most expensive. The licensing of Cisco is pretty high, especially in comparison to other options, such as Aruba.
What other advice do I have?
I’d advise those considering the solution to go onto the internet and find as much documentation about the solution as you can.
I’d rate the solution an eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-07-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
MartinVelazquez from
Quality devices, good switches, and very reliable
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for WiFi and for switching switches. It offers a wireless controller device and access points and switches.
What is most valuable?
It’s stable.
All the hardware, the signal, the communication between access points or switches, et cetera, is good. The devices are all of good quality.
The switches, in particular, are great. I don't remember the model, however, there is a line of Catalyst switches from Cisco - the industrial switches with 24 ports or 48 ports and a POA feature with a fiber optic port - that are great.
The quality of service is excellent.
What needs improvement?
The only disadvantage of Cisco is maybe the cost. It’s more expensive than other brands, like, for example, HP. You do have to pay for licensing yearly, which is not the case with some others. We’d like to just have a one-time payment option.
The interface could be better. When I connect to the wireless controller, the graphic or the user interface is complicated. It’s hard to understand all the models of the interface. They should work to make it easier.
For how long have I used the solution?
I’ve used the solution for two months in this current company. I’ve used it for four or five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. The resolution is very stable. Cisco is working well. There are no bugs or glitches and it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It’s a scalable product.
In the future, the goal is to migrate to a new Cisco access point version. We are working on this. We have the requirement for a wireless controller, maybe, and an update only on the firmware version.
Maybe 400 people use the solution.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I work in the other companies with Cisco and other brands as well as Aruba and HP.
How was the initial setup?
It’s an easy product to set up. It's not difficult at all.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
You do need to pay for licensing on a yearly basis. It’s a bit expensive. However, I don’t know the exact costs.
What other advice do I have?
I’m a customer.
We use the latest version of the solution.
The solution is a market leader. It works great.
I’d rate it nine out of ten.
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-07-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1898016 from
Provides user-friendly dashboard, great performance, and a lot of documentation
What is our primary use case?
We use this solution for our campus network. I work for the university's IT team, so we use it for the faculties, administrative buildings, and labs. We're very happy with it.
The solution is deployed on-premises.
We're using the latest version.
What is most valuable?
It's a small feature, but Cisco allows me to see access points with blinking lights. This shows me which access point is which.
For example, sometimes we have more than 100 access points, and the company that did the set up unfortunately didn't document it well, so that can be a problem.
The dashboard is wonderful. It's very user friendly.
What needs improvement?
The price could be better. It's too high.
It's also hard to get the product because of climate problems.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have been using this solution for a year and a half.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
It's very stable. In comparison, Extreme's stability is not good. We do speed tests, and with Cisco, we can get 700 megabits per second.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's very scalable.
How are customer service and support?
The solution was already set up, so we didn't need a lot of technical support.
If we need help, we can call them directly. We don't need to open a ticket.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have dealt with Extreme Wireless, especially Extreme IQ Cloud. Compared to Extreme, Cisco is way ahead.
It's very easy to deploy. I like Cisco's dashboard. I think it's more user friendly than the Extreme dashboard.
Extreme is easy to deploy, and management is very nice, but the performance isn't good so far. We are using the essential license now, not the pilot license, which is the advanced feature license. When we get the pilot license, I don't know if my mind will change, but for now the performance is way better in Cisco.
When I'm deploying Extreme, it's hard to get information from the internet. I'm not talking about the support from the company.
With Cisco products, there's a ton of information on YouTube, in Cisco documentation, and on Cisco's website. With Extreme, I couldn't get that information.
With the same infrastructure, switches, logical topology, and physical topology, Extreme's performance isn't very good. It might be because of the license. When I talk with the company, they say, "If you don't have the Extreme pilot license, you can't get high balances."
For example, you can only get 150 megabits. It's like one channel at a time. They say that when we install the license, we'll get higher balances, but we haven't experienced that yet. We are waiting for the installation to complete, and then we'll get the license.
Cisco's performance is much better.
I also have experience with Huawei. Cisco's deployment is much better in comparison.
How was the initial setup?
The solution was set up before I started working on it, so I continue to deploy it.
Compared to Extreme, it doesn't take a lot of time to deploy. We have more than 1,000 access points. It takes about several hours to deploy. It's quick to install.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The price is too high. The licensing is on a yearly basis.
The price was built in with the total price of the access points. We bought other products, like cable covers, and some switches, so I don't know the exact price for the licenses.
The price of Cisco is twice as high as Extreme because of the exchange rate in Turkey. At the time, our currency decreased catastrophically against the dollar.
What other advice do I have?
I would rate this solution nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-07-28T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Widyo Winarno from
Offers good network management and control options, in a highly scalable and stable solution
What is our primary use case?
Our primary use for the solution is providing internet access points for our customers, we are a Wi-Fi management service.
What is most valuable?
The network management is good. We use it to control access, channels, and phones and limit bandwidth.
What needs improvement?
They can provide more user-friendly control. It would be good to see an easier to manage common control line. An improved web UI could allow everything to be controlled from the website.
I hope Cisco can improve the capacity to service a high density of users in a small area, as currently we have difficulties with this.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for over five years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is very stable.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We have an access point that provides service for 20 to 25,000 customers, and we use ten staff for deployment and maintenance.
How are customer service and support?
We have local Cisco-authorized support here in Indonesia, and I would rate them an eight out of ten.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
We found the initial setup to be complex, sometimes we have difficulty providing wireless internet access, as it can be difficult to choose an access point that can handle a high density of users.
We can complete a setup in one or two days for a building, but sometimes we have to implement an outdoor access point, which can take longer.
What was our ROI?
I would rate the solution four out of five in terms of ROI.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I don't know the exact cost as I'm only on the technical side, but I do know this solution is very expensive. With one being the most expensive and five being affordable, I would give Cisco a two out of five.
We have to pay for upgrades and for customer service.
What other advice do I have?
I rate this solution an eight out of ten.
Cisco provides a good product, the stability and reliability are there but it's very expensive. Competitors deliver solutions that are more affordable and almost as good.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-06-22T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Marco Attene from
Reliable, easy to set up, and has helpful support
What is our primary use case?
The solution is primarily used for wireless connectivity.
What is most valuable?
The solution is stable and reliable.
It scales well.
We found the initial setup to be straightforward.
The support has proven itself to be helpful.
What needs improvement?
We would like to have the lead times improved. Right now, when you create a design and want to provide it to the customer, they are very late to cosign everything.
The solution is pretty expensive. We'd like to see lower pricing in the future.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've used the solution for a while. I'm not sure how long I've used it.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable. We find it to be reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can scale the solution as needed. It's not a problem.
We have more than 1,000 users on the solution.
How are customer service and support?
We've contacted support, yet not necessarily for technical issues. We have used them for other things, and they were rather helpful.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
How was the initial setup?
the initial setup is quite simple and straightforward. I'd rate the experience a four out of five in terms of ease of implementation. It's not difficult.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The cost of the licensing depends on the access point.
On the low end, the solution costs probably around $1200 to $1300 for five years. It's an expensive product.
I'd rate the product a three out of five in terms of affordability.
What other advice do I have?
We are Cisco partners.
I'd advise new users to check the documentation and go over it pretty thoroughly at the outset. It's important to read everything before you start. If you miss something, it may cause you to troubleshoot and spend more time than you need to figure things out.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Makrand Tare from
Good security and connectivity with a straightforward setup
What is our primary use case?
We are using the solution for the long-term to connect our desktops and laptops. For the firewalls, however, we connect the rack network with fiber and other cables.
What is most valuable?
It offers good connectivity.
The initial setup is straightforward.
We find the product to be stable.
It can scale.
The security is quite good.
What needs improvement?
We cannot use wireless for the servers due to potential performance issues. They must be connected via fiber.
The solution is a little bit expensive.
We'd like it if they could improve the integration capabilities. More specifically, if it can be integrated with other applications or any other devices like CCTV cameras that are also running on wireless, that would be ideal.
For how long have I used the solution?
We've been using the solution for ten to 15 years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution has been stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches, and it doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
We can scale the solution. It's not difficult to do so.
We are a global company and have between 50,000 and 90,000 users.
There are plans to increase usage in the future.
How are customer service and support?
I've never used technical support services. I don't know how helpful or responsive they are.
How was the initial setup?
It's a solution that is easy to set up. It's not overly complex to implement.
I'm not sure exactly how long it took to deploy the solution.
We have a dedicated team of 600 IT engineers. They can handle deployment and maintenance.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
I'm not sure of the exact pricing. We have 20 to 30 different premises in India. I'm not sure if they are all using Cisco like us or not. Therefore, I'm not sure what the full cost is to the company.
It could be a bit cheaper.
We pay a license fee on a yearly basis.
What other advice do I have?
I'm not sure which version of Cisco we are using.
I'd recommend Cisco to other users and companies. I would rate it an eight out of ten. We're mostly happy with its capabilities.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-10-15T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Cuong Ngo from
Runs well, offers good connectivity, and is reliable
What is our primary use case?
We primarily use the solution for wireless connectivity for corporate.
How has it helped my organization?
The solution has improved the customer experience, which has helped improve the organization. Customers can access the corporate network with ease and get the resources they need even if they are moving around the office. They easily connect to the WiFi without issue.
What is most valuable?
The SSID feature is quite good.
It runs well, without issue.
Users can easily move around the office and stay connected.
The solution is stable. It offers good performance.
We can scale the product.
Cisco has a very good reputation and offers pretty good pricing.
What needs improvement?
We would like to see additional data and security. We'd like to see them maintain integration between SD-WAN and Cisco ISE and for them to improve the security factor for the customer.
It can be complex to set up.
They need to build a more comprehensive solution around the WLAN controller.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been using the solution for more than ten years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is stable and reliable. There are no bugs or glitches. It doesn't crash or freeze.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It's easily scalable. That's not a problem at all.
How are customer service and support?
Technical support is okay. They can solve issues, however, the response time can be long.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Neutral
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is complex. You need to have a high skill set when dealing with Cisco. It's not meant to be done by non-technical users.
The product does not require a lot of maintenance. It's very minimal.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
While I can't remember the exact pricing, it's not overly expensive.
What other advice do I have?
We are a partner with Cisco for networking and security.
I'm working with the latest version of the solution.
Cisco maintains a good relationship with its customers. They have a very good reputation on the market.
I'd recommend the solution to others.
I'd rate the solution eight out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: My company has a business relationship with this vendor other than being a customer:Partner
Date published: 2022-10-12T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
Hameed Ullah from
It's stable controller-based solution for a medium-sized office environment
What is our primary use case?
We needed a controller-based wireless solution for a medium-sized office environment that can support six to 10 APs. We have around 35 users in our office.
For how long have I used the solution?
We have been using Cisco Wireless for four years.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless is a stable product.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless is scalable.
How was the initial setup?
The initial setup is straightforward, and you need to spend around six to 10 weeks to set up one controller. We have two managers and around six to 10 technical guys for maintenance.
What about the implementation team?
We could deploy it without outside help because we have technical expertise.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
We feel that Cisco is quite expensive, so we're looking for a reasonable alternative. We are considering Aruba and some other brands that are less expensive. Cisco works fine, but the issue is the annual licensing and support costs.
What other advice do I have?
I rate Cisco Wireless WAN eight out of 10. If budget weren't an issue, I would highly recommend Cisco.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-10-11T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2110137 from
Flexible, ultra secure and has excellent support
What is our primary use case?
We deployed the solution to update our internal WiFi to a modern, flexible, and secure environment.
How has it helped my organization?
Coverage and throughput have both improved significantly over our previous solution. Also, having advanced QoS capabilities has improved our VoIP performance over WiFi.
What is most valuable?
The solution offers very good performance, for all devices.
Another bonus is that it's really tightly integrated with Apple devices, and makes sure that no one phone or no one WiFi device can hog all of the wireless spectrum. The spectrum-sharing algorithms are proven in independent testing to be the best. Also, roaming is quick and excellent. The security capabilities are incredible, and it offers excellent secure access for guests as well.
What needs improvement?
The only thing I would like to see is better high availability if you're using the embedded wireless controller (the EWC).
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The solution is extremely stable and reliable. I've experienced no recent bugs or glitches.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The solution can scale hugely if you are not using the embedded wireless controller, which is what I am using now.
How are customer service and support?
The support is the best in the world. It's a big reason why I go with Cisco. The real differentiator for me always is the quality and speed of support. Every manufacturer's products are going to have a bug or performance issues sometime. It's how they respond that makes them different and better.
How would you rate customer service and support?
Positive
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
I have had previous experience with Meraki, Ruckus, various prosumer products as well as Aruba. My favorite is Cisco, and my second favorite is Cisco Meraki. The reasons are too many to list here.
How was the initial setup?
The ease of the initial setup depends on experience always. If you're an experienced WiFi person, it is easy very easy to configure. I'd rate the ease of installation nine out of ten.
What about the implementation team?
We implemented it in-house.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
For enterprise-class WiFi, with best-in-the-world TAC support, the pricing is okay. I'd rate it seven out of ten. There are less expensive solutions, sure. But in this case, my experience over decades (since the very first WiFi APs were released, in fact), is that no one beats Cisco WiFi (for very long, at least), in either the capabilities, performance or support categories.
What other advice do I have?
This is super flexible, meets our needs, is ultra secure, and offers excellent support. I'd rate it nine out of ten. I'm very happy with the product.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-03-13T00:00:00-04:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer2299842 from
A stable and reliable product that performs incredibly well and provides good returns on investment
What is our primary use case?
I worked for a university in Florida that wanted a campus Wi-Fi. So, we chose Cisco and deployed it on the entire campus. It was part of a bigger project that included firewalls.
What is most valuable?
The performance of the solution is valuable. It works incredibly well.
What needs improvement?
The product must be made more user-friendly.
For how long have I used the solution?
I have worked with the product for a year.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The tool is quite stable. We have the least amount of drops. The network latency is one to five milliseconds.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
The tool is scalable. However, it is not as scalable as a cloud solution. We had around 2000 users.
How are customer service and support?
We contacted Cisco for some escalations to troubleshoot via remote access. The process was pretty straightforward. We raised tickets and got hold of the technical support team. They did some hotfixes.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
Fortinet is easy to use. Even if we do not have formal training, the learning curve is easy. We can figure it out by going through the interface. The Fortinet Cookbook is simple to understand. Fortinet products are easier to integrate. It is a lot more complex for Cisco. However, Cisco is more stable than Fortinet.
How was the initial setup?
The deployment process was a bit complex. We took two months for planning and one month for staging. We simulated everything before the deployment. It was like a parallel system. We built a new infrastructure and switched everything to the new infrastructure. Building the new structure and testing took us three to four months.
What about the implementation team?
We are system integrators. We deployed the solution with some help from Cisco. However, we did not use any professional services from Cisco. We are a Cisco Gold Partner. We do all the configurations.
What was our ROI?
I have seen an ROI on the product. We know Cisco lasts for quite a while. It's easy to get a hold of. I see good value in it. It is a good investment.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
The tool is expensive.
Which other solutions did I evaluate?
Ruckus and Aruba are not as good as Cisco.
What other advice do I have?
I will recommend the solution to others. If a company wants something stable that will last them longer, they should go with Cisco, even if it's more expensive. Overall, I rate the product a nine out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2024-01-03T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
PerryKwala from
Integrates easily with other Cisco products but needs more traffic monitoring features
What is our primary use case?
I primarily use Cisco Wireless WAN for meetings and to let mobile devices connect to WiFi.
What is most valuable?
Cisco Wireless WAN's best feature is the integration with other Cisco products.
What needs improvement?
Cisco Wireless WAN would be improved with the ability to monitor new usernames, product registrations, and flow traffic.
For how long have I used the solution?
I've been working with Cisco Wireless WAN for roughly two years.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
Cisco Wireless WAN is scalable.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
Cisco Wireless WAN is fairly expensive.
What other advice do I have?
I would give Cisco Wireless WAN a rating of six out of ten.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2023-02-24T00:00:00-05:00
Rated 5 out of
5 by
reviewer1060884 from
Gives customers clean access to their wireless networks and supports WiFi 6
What is our primary use case?
I'm a solution architect and consultant in my company (a Cisco partner and system integrator) and our standard use case for Cisco Wireless LAN is providing WiFi coverage throughout our client organizations' buildings. These organizations include banks, airports, and universities. We also use other networking products from Cisco, including Cisco Meraki for cloud-based wireless networking in smaller environments.
What is most valuable?
I have seen that many people are using a lot of the features directly available on the wireless controller. Recently, the most valuable and in-demand feature that users are enjoying is WiFi 6 support on the access points. The other good thing about Cisco Wireless LAN is how easily it provides clean access to the WiFi network.
What needs improvement?
The coverage area on some of the low-end access points isn't the best. The high-end ones are fine, but we've had bad experiences on the other ones. Compared to some of the non-Cisco access points we use, the low-end access points from Cisco have shown to give only very minimal coverage.
I am currently wondering how Cisco is going to handle the connections between 5G and the WiFi 6. These new technologies have similar features and I would expect, in the future, that there will be some integration between them.
What do I think about the stability of the solution?
The stability is fine. Cisco Wireless solutions are generally more stable than others, there is no doubt about that in my mind. Even our customers have experienced the same thing. The only problem is the different models. The range of models of Cisco access points is very limited compared to other vendors. And there are some challenges on the antenna configuration.
What do I think about the scalability of the solution?
It is scalable. Right now, it has only one series of controllers for all the numbers of access points, so in terms of scaling, we can always increase the controllers even if we have thousands of access points.
How are customer service and support?
The tech support for Cisco Wireless is fine. It's not usually myself that deals with them, but rather our technical deployment and support engineers. If they can't resolve any issues on their own, they simply raise a technical ticket with Cisco support.
Which solution did I use previously and why did I switch?
We are also selling Cisco Meraki products along with the standard Cisco portfolio. I don't have a lot of experience with Meraki, because we mainly recommend those products to small and medium environments, especially if the customer doesn't have a lot of networking staff and they simply want to bring WiFi services up quickly.
How was the initial setup?
It is easy to set up the access points. Regarding how many people are needed for deployments, it really depends on the size of the project. We will have different scenarios ranging from only 10 to 15 access points, all the way up to 1,000 access points. All of this requires staff to physically mount the access points, and then we'll have the cabling technicians who connect all the cabling.
After that, once they all connect back to the controller, all the integrations will be done on the controller. So the wireless engineer requirement is very minimal compared to how many people are needed for the physical installation. If you've got a two-person team, they should be able to install 10 to 20 access points per day.
What's my experience with pricing, setup cost, and licensing?
If you have a two-person team doing the physical access point installations, they should be able to set up 10 to 20 access points per day.
What other advice do I have?
For the Cisco Wireless implementation, the most important advice I would like to give is regarding the planning of the access points. The planning is very important because if you do not do proper planning based on the requirements, then the project might well turn out to be a big mess. That's because once you install an access point in one location, it's very hard to move around. Keep this in mind from the beginning.
I would rate Cisco Wireless LAN an eight out of ten. I won't say it's the best there is, but it is definitely a leading solution.
Which deployment model are you using for this solution?
On-premises
Disclaimer: I am a real user, and this review is based on my own experience and opinions.
Date published: 2022-01-25T00:00:00-05:00