Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller vs. Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
Score 8.8 out of 10
N/A
The Cisco 3504 Wireless (WLAN) Controller provides centralized control, management, and troubleshooting for small to medium-sized enterprises and branch offices.N/A
Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Score 8.3 out of 10
N/A
The Cisco 5520 Series Wireless LAN Controller is a highly scalable, service-rich, resilient, and flexible platform that is ideal for medium-sized to large enterprise and campus deployments.N/A
Pricing
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Free Trial
NoNo
Free/Freemium Version
NoNo
Premium Consulting/Integration Services
NoNo
Entry-level Setup FeeNo setup feeNo setup fee
Additional Details
More Pricing Information
Community Pulse
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Considered Both Products
Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
Chose Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
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 …
Chose Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
The 3504 Controller compared to the other WLC models has a capacity to support access points smaller than any other equipment since it is developed with the intention of being implemented in small organizations. With the other models we have greater performance and physically …
Chose Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
Because we have a Cisco infrastructure. And the institution we connect to also has Cisco.
Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Chose Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller is a high-performance platform, easy to implement, and robust like no other solution.
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Small Businesses
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ubiquiti WLAN
Score 9.0 out of 10
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ubiquiti WLAN
Score 9.0 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Score 9.4 out of 10
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Score 9.4 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Score 9.4 out of 10
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers
Score 9.4 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Likelihood to Recommend
8.6
(19 ratings)
7.2
(13 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.0
(2 ratings)
9.1
(1 ratings)
Usability
8.2
(3 ratings)
7.0
(1 ratings)
Support Rating
9.4
(5 ratings)
9.2
(7 ratings)
Implementation Rating
-
(0 ratings)
9.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco 5520 Wireless Controller
Likelihood to Recommend
Cisco
I have found the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller helpful in monitoring and managing the wireless networks regularly. When there were multiple entries throughout an exciting working day, the controller promptly informed of the precise statuses and offered the possibility of revising a strategy upon identifying a performance decrease. Nevertheless, there have been specific instances where updating the firmware led to some disruptions of services for a short time.
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Cisco
I consider that its implementation is recommended for configurations where the amount of access points exceeds 50 devices and the performance exceeds 4 Gbps. In environments where the access point density is less than 10 units, we can use the option of Express Mobility.
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Pros
Cisco
  • I had to change some new APs and it helped me solve the problem in less than half an hour
  • Cisco 3504 wlan controller is a new generation wireless controller that can control up to 3504 access points and is made up of the latest technology. It's easy to use and configure, and allows you to control your wireless network from anywhere.
  • I must say that I am impressed with the Cisco WLC 5520. The wireless network is very important for us. We have about 1000 clients and we work in several offices. With this device we are able to control, manage and administer all the wireless networks of the company in a very efficient way.
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Cisco
  • It has the ability to manage all Cisco access points that we have, regardless of the model. The limit is 1500 pieces of equipment.
  • The WLC enables roaming functionality in the localities, this helps with collections, wireless IP phones, and access with notebooks.
  • The WLC manages the quality of the "air" and "signal" of the 2.4ghz frequency, avoiding noise and interference.
  • The WLC has an interesting feature of visibility of the traffic of the internal network.
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Cons
Cisco
  • 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
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Cisco
  • We have had some issues with access points losing their configurations and going offline. This is not a common issue and we are not entirely certain if it is a fault of the controller or the individual APs. That said, the controller does not appear to retain the knowledge of the offline AP which can be a management headache.
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Likelihood to Renew
Cisco
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.
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Cisco
This equipment from Cisco has been dependable and we are able to easily continue to add access points or make changes easily to the Wi-Fi password settings.
We have been operating this equipment for a number of years and it does not give us any issues.
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Usability
Cisco
The centralized management give a good overview of the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller. Its rich in security features like advanced security, RF optimization, and scalability. Cisco provides extensive documentation and support, although it can be highly technical. It is easy to configure and setup the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller. Strong security features, including WPA3, rogue AP detection, and WIPS, enhance network protection.
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Cisco
In the dailies activities it's simple to manage a wireless network and also to perform changes: the GUI is well known and intuitive for engineers that know how to operate on Cisco WLC. It has High Throughput and consolidated features such as CleanAir, Roaming supporting natively Cisco ISE authentication methods and DNA Center. It's recommended for Wi-Fi 5 wireless infrastructures.
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Support Rating
Cisco
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.
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Cisco
Cisco support is always ready to support and engage in any problem or issue. Starting from the implementation support, troubleshooting any software issue or hardware. Their engineers are engaging whenever we ask for support, keep following up with us, and troubleshoot any problem till we find a solution and be satisfied [with] the service.
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Alternatives Considered
Cisco
The main reason why our company chose to opt for the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller was the magnificent quality-price ratio of the product. It is very easy to handle if you have the appropriate technical knowledge and if not, you will always have Cisco technical support supporting you for whatever you need. Once the product is configured, it works stably without intervention and is fully integrated with the company's other Cisco solutions.
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Cisco
[The] best bet is the integration with ISE. Users use their active directory credentials to access the wireless and very simple guest portal to gain access to the Internet. We plan on integrating Cisco DNA Centre in the future that will give us more visibility and improved performance.
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Return on Investment
Cisco
  • With the help of this software, we were able to save so many hours that we [have] wasted on so many things, including the configuration of AP individually as well.
  • Overall I want to say this is amazing and provides cost-effective services. [All its] features give efficient services.
  • [The] smart software has made it easier for all of us in terms of tech up and training.
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Cisco
  • [It provides] centralized management.
  • Implementing the [Cisco] 5520 [Wireless] Controllers offered us a huge improvement in administrative time over our previous Cisco 3850 deployment. Being able to see all of our APs on a single controller as well as centrally manage them is a great benefit. This also removed the need to deploy specific equipment in different IDFs throughout our Industrial locations and instead only requiring switches with Power Over Ethernet (POE) capability.
  • Wireless performance has improved with the deployment of our 5520s, which allows our plant operators to do their jobs more efficiently while on the move.
  • Having three Cisco 5520 Wireless Controllers provides tertiary redundancy for our wireless networks. The solution is elegantly simple. Preventing downtime is, obviously, a profound part of our supply chain capabilities.
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