TrustRadius Insights for Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller are summaries of user sentiment data from TrustRadius reviews and, when necessary, third party data sources.
Pros
Comprehensive Integration: Users have appreciated the system's comprehensive integration with Radius, stating it enhances network management efficiency.
Scalability and Flexibility: Reviewers have highlighted the system's scalability in supporting over 1000 access points and its flexible configuration options for adapting to changing requirements.
Reliable Performance: The system is praised for its reliable performance, faster network speed, and strong connectivity to cloud resources by multiple users.
Efficient Network Management: Users value the efficient management of multiple access points, ease of pushing out WAP code updates, and seamless deployment of new SSIDs.
Cost-Effectiveness: Customers appreciate the economical pricing compared to modern alternatives without compromising on features or performance.
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Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller Reviews
16 Reviews
Mid-sized Companies (51-1,000 employees)
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We use our Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller to implement a fully ubiquitous wireless network on our Main Campus, and multiple branch offices. The controller allows us to broadcast our corporate (private) network, secure guest network access, along with numerous other networks that allow separation of network traffic. We also use our controller to provide a more private method of access for field engineers in certain locations (as opposed to using hot spots or cellular connectivity).
Very good internal organizational product. We use the controller for implementation for indoor APs, and other APs that are in less desirable locations and have a few issues with those as well.
VU
Verified User
Technician in Information Technology (51-200 employees)
We use the 8540 Cisco Wireless Controller to manage our wireless access points throughout the campus. The controller makes it easy to manage the over 600 access points we have. the controller integrates with our Cisco prime infrastructure and allows us to easily see coverage and bandwidth problems. The scope of our wireless service covers all students faculty and staff including visitors when on campus for various events.
Pros
Manages multiple access points.
Easily push out WAP code updates.
Easily deploy new SSIds.
Cons
Easier to integrate with Cisco ACS.
Redundant power supplies.
Third party integrations.
Likelihood to Recommend
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is well suited to manage and support a very large and complex wireless infrastructure. It is a stable platform that is able to communicate with a wide variety of cisco access point models. It may not be well suited for a small organization with inexperienced networking or wireless engineers.
VU
Verified User
C-Level Executive in Information Technology (201-500 employees)
Cisco Routers are considered the best Routers. [They] provide a lot in Routing & Throughput Services. I have used Cisco Routers for the configuration of Site to Site VPN for secure connection to our sub-branches, which provides a secure network over the organization. Also, it is used for providing DHCP options for access points and LAN users. Hence, it serves a secure connection and provides [the] best security on a network.
Pros
Throughput of the interface is excellent.
[It] supports multiple routing protocols.
[It] provides good bandwidth.
[It is] easy to configure.
Cons
It provides [a] limited number of ports. For multiple networks, we need to add extra interface.
[It is] costly compared to other similar products available in [the] market.
Likelihood to Recommend
I would ask users [that] if [they were] looking for the most reliable and trustworthy router solution, then I will strongly recommend [they] go with the Cisco [8540 Wireless Controller]. The [Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller] provides a secured network [and is] easy to configure so that beginners can easily manage the device.
VU
Verified User
Engineer in Product Management (501-1000 employees)
We are using Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller across the whole organization as a router for ensuring the best wireless connectivity among all departments and all cloud resources. It has resolved most of our networking and cloud connectivity issues. It has also eliminated our issues related to bandwidth and uptime. It is providing us uninterrupted connectivity to our databases and other cloud resources at faster speeds and [with] ultimate security. Overall, we found it a very economical solution.
Pros
Faster access to the databases
Faster access to cloud resources
Very good uptime
Bandwidth issues eradicated
Uninterrupted connectivity
Ultimate security
Cons
Lacks in VPN protocols
Likelihood to Recommend
I recommend using Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller as an economical solution for assurance of best wireless connectivity across departments and cloud resources. It can resolve most of the networking and cloud connectivity-related issues. It can also eliminate the issues related to bandwidth. It can provide uninterrupted connectivity to cloud resources and databases at high speed with security.
VU
Verified User
Project Manager in Product Management (51-200 employees)
The IT department of our organization [has been] using [the] Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller since last year for providing wireless connectivity and resolution of networking issues among all departments in our organization. It is highly efficient to eliminate bandwidth-related issues and provides fast connectivity to our databases deployed on cloud infrastructure. It ensures network security and fast network speed. It is, overall, an economical solution against its latest and modern alternatives.
Pros
[It provides] network security.
[It provides] faster network speed.
Price is economical against its modern alternatives.
[It is] scalable to match the change in requirements.
[It offers] excellent network performance.
[It has] excellent connectivity to the cloud resources.
Cons
Built-in VPN protocols are necessary but missing.
Likelihood to Recommend
I definitely recommend using Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller for providing wireless connectivity and resolution of networking issues. It can eliminate all bandwidth-related issues and provide faster connectivity to cloud infrastructures. The network security and fast network speed are few among many benefits of using it. It is quite economical against [the] latest and modern alternative products.
VU
Verified User
Project Manager in Product Management (51-200 employees)
This product is currently being used by the Accounting department on campus. It's primarily used to address all of the department's connection needs. We can get more information for the required MAC Address of the users/clients on the current session. We can set it up based on our requirements and have our own restrictions and grant access for a particular MAC address or a user.
Pros
Strong reliable connection
User-friendly GUI
Good overall cost of the device
Cons
The Wireless Range could be wider.
The positioning of the device has great effect on the wireless signal.
It can be hard to setup.
Likelihood to Recommend
It is well suited for big wide-open areas with few walls blocking the wireless signal from the device to the end-user. It is not very suited for offices with lots of walls and closed spaces as the signal can sometimes bounce [off] the walls if there is [a lot] of electrical wiring [in] them. [However,] it's to be expected as most wifi solutions have these issues.
VU
Verified User
Employee in Finance and Accounting (51-200 employees)
These routers are best in terms of security and network speed. This series of routers gives some of the best features, like high performance and high density. [They] provide excellent scalability and are also very good economically. They are designed and programmed in such a way that they won’t allow traffic from unwanted sources, like outsiders and cyber hackers.
Pros
Connectivity speed
Secure connection
Efficient and effective
Cons
Not easy to configure on your own
[A] bit costly for small enterprises
Sophisticated and complex to install
Likelihood to Recommend
This is best suited where you want to work in an environment that does not cause you [to] lose your work [or have it] unsaved due to irregular internet connectivity [and] outages. Also, it is made on a very secure platform. Your network is safe from unwanted hacking. It is almost impossible to penetrate into [the] network operating on Cisco routers.
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is being used to monitor and access APs within the network and office. It's monitored and maintained by the IT department but we have guest networks that users connect to. So any issues go through IT. It makes management a whole lot easier.
Pros
Monitoring
Security
Deployment
Cons
Cost
Implementation
Setup
Likelihood to Recommend
For a bigger large-scale company with multiple network layers and levels that cause issues for monitoring and implementing the wireless solution. Best for businesses with many access points, larger teams, and more technical savvy.
VU
Verified User
Administrator in Information Technology (51-200 employees)
The Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is high speed controller for networking mostly for large organizations.With flex connect, it is used with access points for many big groups in our organization. Its highly secure wireless and guest access is very secure. Its interface is very easy to adapt and is very secure. It allows for deploying multiple access points, which is a great pro for a WLAN.
Pros
Supports a large number of access points that help us quickly manage Cisco configurable points and resolve technical issues.
We can have a Cisco-supported WAN with maximum customization in its configuration; if the connection for the servers is down, it would not be too much trouble to navigate the system controller.
It supports smart networks, which is also an excellent quality of this wireless controller.
We have multiple units--one is active and others are for backup. We are able to control entire wireless network without any interruptions. Everything is implemented automatically and optimally.
Cons
Code quality is a bit hit and miss. This will be great for a while, then things will be bad for a while, then we'll do it again. The UI of the controller works, but could do with a refresh, and I would like to see some improvement on layout and organization.
The constant code/firmware upgrades and the QA of new code could be better.
Maybe the compatibility with old Cisco Access Points could be improved, but it's normal in all kinds of deployments.
Likelihood to Recommend
It's well suited where the company or the organization has a large group of access points. The controller should be compatible with other groups also. The secured system for guest access is also great.
VU
Verified User
Analyst in Information Technology (51-200 employees)
We use Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller to centrally manage a WiFi network for a Smart City project in Portugal. It is being used by our research lab to measure mobility statistics and other parameters, besides providing free network access to the population in the area where the project was deployed (in a coastal region).
Pros
Easy to setup and deploy the wireless network.
Full control and customization of all Access Points.
Security features and multi-protocol support.
Cons
Price can be a little bit overwhelming for some organizations.
Some advanced configurations are not easy to grasp without support.
There could be some VPN solutions embedded by default.
Likelihood to Recommend
In case one needs to manage a complex network with a significant number of access points, Cisco 8540 Wireless Controller is an appropriate solution since it can handle well a large amount of nodes and allows a detailed and customized configuration of each one of the APs in an individual way. For a small number of devices, the price does not justify of use of such powerful solution.
