Graphical user interface (GUI) could be more user-friendly and offer best practice suggestions
Upgrade process (IOS) lacks clarity and robust confirmation steps
Potential performance interruptions with high numbers of access points

Verified User

Engineer in Engineering (10,001+ employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We use various Cisco Wireless Lan Controllers at several of our venues and offices. As a network engineer for a live sports and music entertainment company, we use Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers to service all of our Cisco access points in both sparse and dense deployments through our various arenas, theaters, stadiums, and offices. These access points provide wireless connectivity to all of our corporate staff, partners, vendors, and customers.

Pros

Does a fantastic job of providing detailed client data (e.g. how long the client has been associated, what band the client is connected to, what AP, IP/MAC info)
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers provide an incredibly flexible way to engineer different wireless network solutions for different needs. For example, you have various ways to tweak and optimize wireless multicast based traffic, you can set different AP groups to better manage which APs should broadcast certain SSIDs, the ability to increase or decrease transmit power levels on an AP, and so much more!
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers have a reliable and relatively easy image upgrade process that allows you stagger the AP image upgrade process to minimize downtime

Cons

I would love to see the ability to have a tool like Cisco Prime natively built into the Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers. While the WLC does provide detailed client data, you need to rely on tools like Cisco Prime to provide you with more comprehensive data about the client such as their roaming history, how many times have they associated/de-associated to a certain AP, how many auth errors has the customer experienced, what type of traffic is the client consuming, etc.

Return on Investment

High wireless access availability, various options to perform wireless network tuning, a diverse feature set to segment certain parts of wireless traffic based on things like SGTs, AP groups, etc., and the ability to provide various authentication options

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Aruba Networks Wireless WAN, Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points and Ruckus ICX Switches

Other Software Used

Cisco Meraki Dashboard, Aruba Networks Wireless WAN

Verified User

Engineer in Information Technology (5001-10,000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

In our organization, the Wireless LAN Controllers is responsible for managing, configuring and securing all our wireless access points. We manage close to 800 access points across our office locations, including corporate headquarters and remote project sites. Our wireless networks support internal users, guest users and a growing number of IoT devices.

Pros

High Availability. We use redundant WLCs to ensure business continuity.
Apply strong authentication
Large scale rollouts. Firmware versions are consistent and we can avoid mistakes due to manual configuration.
Upgrade AP firmware with minimal downtime.

Cons

Some features may be restricted to certain models or OS versions.
Troubleshooting certain wireless client behaviour
AP controller overload
Client density

Return on Investment

Improved productivity as users can access applications from anywhere in the office
Centralized management for administrators. It becomes easier to configure and manage.
Scalability. As business grows/expands, it scales fairly well.

Usability

Verified User

Manager in Information Technology (1001-5000 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We have been using Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers for some time starting with the 2504 and now going to the 9800 series in both hardware and virtual controls. The newer ones allow a much easier fail over capability and the option for a virtual controller removes the need for additional hardware. One manufacturing site has a hardware based controller while the global sites/offices use the virtual ones as their primary.

Pros

Easy access to client connections with details like username, mac address, ip address, signal strength and AP connections to make troubleshooting easier
Ability to use mix of new and older AP's
Ease of addition additional AP's or moving them with minimal configuration.

Cons

Have a better fail over capability with low conversion times
Quicker updates to resolve issues with newer wifi technologies e.g. 6GHz frequencies.

Return on Investment

The Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers give the business the ability to move from one part of the site to another without any wireless dropouts over a large site.
6GHZ frequencies and AX/BE protocols have some issues that need resolving to utilities higher wifi speeds and throughput

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Cisco Meraki MR Wireless Access Points and HPE Aruba Networks Wireless WAN

Ankush Singla

Architech in Information Technology at Cargill (10,001+ employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We are using C9800-L-F-K9 and C9800-40, which is implemented over 1200 sites in our environment where wireless is heavily used, it gives us flexibility to make use of wireless media with advance features with IOS-XE based Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers.
It helps us overcomes problems related to Infra and mainly in plant area. Where network drops on forks lifts and scan guns and other type of critical issues. With radio active tracec we can analyse what is happening and how to isolate it.

Pros

Documentation
Stability
Easy to use and navigate

Cons

More visibility during IOS upgrade
RMI + RP Config data
More GUI friendly commands

Return on Investment

Easy traffic handling
Better performance than AIROS
Minimal downtime to business
Better management

Usability

Alternatives Considered

WiFi Attendance and NEXUS

Other Software Used

Ekho, 123RF.com, CPI Technologies GmbH

Verified User

Manager in Engineering (10,001+ employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We are using Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers in our Wi-Fi Infrastructure. They are managing all lightweight APs and we are collecting subscriber traffic to the Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers and then ISGs. There are some deep packet analysis is needed so I think application visibility center features may be developed further.

Pros

SSID management
WLAN to VLAN configuration
Managing lots of APs (up to 6K) at the same time

Cons

There are some interruptions when the number of APs over 5K
When registering some outdoor APs you should need to register mac address before

Return on Investment

Very positive effect beacuse of robustness
Negative impact they can allow all sort of APs. I mean from Aironet to Catalyst series

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Huawei Wireless and Aruba Networks Wireless WAN

Other Software Used

Cisco 1000 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISR 1000), Cisco 900 Series Integrated Services Routers (ISR), Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points

Aerohive Wireless now part of ExtremeWireless

FortiAP

Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers

What is Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers?

Categories & Use Cases

Videos

Most Frequent Users

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

Manufacturing

Information