Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller vs. Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Access Points

What I
like most about the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller is that its user interface makes
networking very simple. Shows real-time information about the network which
helps admins watch the traffic flow and client connections using the dashboard.
Since it’s so simple, people find it very easy to start using the system. The complexity in setting it up for the first time could hinder
efficient deployment in fast-paced environments.

Incentivized

The Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Access Points is a good solution although not for everyone. Cost wise it is more expensive than competition. Technically speaking, if you are going for a full Cisco Meraki solution from firewall, switches, WAP, and management app, it requires a solid technical understanding of where each part and piece falls. If you have the money and the technical capabilities (in house or outsourced) then it is a solid platform that leans on Cisco's respectable history in the communications and infrastructure industry.

Incentivized

• [...] One thing which always fascinated me is the user interface because it is very friendly in nature.
• Also, with this tool, [my team and I] have started feeling more secure and safe because this platform does not require any such implementation. [A]ll the security patches happen on their own.
• One of the main pros of this app is that because it is so compact, it makes this platform a very good travel option. [I]t is also portable [and] can be easily carried anywhere.

Incentivized

• It's cloud based, so as long as we have an internet connection, we can access it. Whenever we push a change, it's one stop like a single pane of glass to manage all our equipment. And so that's what I liked about it.

Incentivized

• The interface needs improvement, it is still complex to find some functions quickly
• The price of the product is still a big limiter
• The fragility of its physical structure, any impact, which is a little stronger, can cause damage to the product

Incentivized

• So the Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Access Points dashboard, it's a little bit like comparing Apple and Android. So with Android you can do a lot more configuration, whereas with Meraki there are a lot of assumptions about a radio resource management. There are a lot of assumptions around, for instance, when it does a heat map, it's a heat map, which is a population density rather than a wireless coverage heat map. So that can cause confusion because normally when you look at heat map, you're looking at, that is a metric for how well it's performing rather than how many devices are using it. So I think that's always at the bone of contention around one of the things it can do.

Incentivized

We have been using Cisco 3504 Wireless Controller in our network infrastructure for a long time now and it has been a very critical and beneficial addition in our network infrastructure. it has provided us with the tools required to efficiently manage and monitor our wireless network and users. it is a highly reliable and efficient device for any kind of environment.

Incentivized

Reliability and Performance: Reflect on whether they provide consistent, high-quality connectivity in your environment. Cost-effectiveness: Weigh the value they deliver against their cost and any alternatives. Support and Usability: Think about the ease of use of the Meraki dashboard and the quality of customer support. Scalability: Assess how well they align with your organization's growth plans

Incentivized

I have given it a rating of 10 because of all the efficiencies it brings into our working place. The Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller is a very reliable router. Advanced threat detection, guest access
security and extensive encryption are provided by the controller to safely
protect important data. Focusing on network security increases users trust as
well as helps secure the entire wireless setup.

Incentivized

The Cisco Meraki MR web interface is best in class when it comes to network management. While some networking knowledge is needed to understand what you are doing, no specialized training in any one specific operating system is required to design a whole network.

Incentivized

We have been deploying Meraki since last 8 years and even the first one deployed seems to be working fine till now!

Incentivized

Cisco TAC is well known and SLA levels are great. Cisco support website and Cisco communities are another help for issues resolution. TAC is always supportive over Webex and helps to resolve issues pretty fast. This is another assurance for people to go with Cisco as the TAC capabilities are proven for all product lines.

Incentivized

Meraki support is usually top notch. The are quick to respond and stick with an issue until it is resolved. One of the difficulties I've had with Meraki MRs is the limited ability the customer has in troubleshooting. Much of the more technical aspects of resolution can only be accessed by the Meraki support team, meaning dedicated IT teams are reliant on them when more complicated issues arise.

Incentivized

There were documents that detailed how the WiFi Access Point was to be installed and mounted. The only issue was to cable the device, we use a third party for this type of work and typically has to be performed after normal business hours. Other than that, the installation was easy.

I have done the comparative analysis of the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller with other products like the Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller and the Ubiquiti network UniFi Controller. I chose the 3504 because it was within the same network scale, reliable, and offers central management to the whole network.

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Access Points are very easy to install, configure, and manage. Centralized management offers excellent features, and especially if you have multiple locations where the access points are installed, they're very easy to manage, saving you a lot of time. If a location wants to expand or reduce its Wi-Fi network, this is incredibly easy. Integration with other Cisco network components is smooth, connecting seamlessly. Updating and layer 7 analysis help create a stable network.

Incentivized

As far as I know, it's 10. I mean, because like I said, I manage stuff in the south. I have coworkers that manage it in the north. And so the scalability of it to be able to be go in and see the configurations of the ones in the north as well as they can see in the south. So across the board, it works really well for how widespread out it is.

Incentivized

• The WLAN controller is a great tool for wireless network administration. With the Cisco Wireless Controller, we can quickly configure and manage all Cisco access points. It's also very easy to set up and manage. The Wlan Controller is a must-have for all our wireless network design.
• The WLAN Controller is a really useful device, it's easy to use and the setup is clear. The 3504 we use has 4 interfaces, we use 2 for data, one for management and one for failover. The wireless controller is very reliable, it will not let your network down. The only downside is that it can be a little bit slow when you need to add a lot of new access points.
• Cisco 3504 Wireless Controller is a great tool for managing WLANs. The controller allows you to manage a large number of access points and allows you to very quickly manage and configure all devices in the network and have one of the most important components of the system. The controller is easy to use and supports a large number of connections and devices.

Incentivized

• Uptime has improved significantly. The dashboard automatically keeps devices up to date by scheduling upgrades at remote times (say 2am on a Sunday)
• Swapping to Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Access Points has reduced the management overhead. No more long controller software hardware upgrades and obviously no more need for beefy central controllers.

Incentivized