Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller vs. Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points

Overview
ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price
Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
Score 8.5 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 Catalyst 9100 Access Points
Score 9.4 out of 10
N/A
The Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points includes the 9115 and 9117, and designed to meet high demand network access.N/A
Pricing
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points
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 Catalyst 9100 Access Points
Top Pros

No answers on this topic

Top Cons

No answers on this topic

Best Alternatives
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points
Small Businesses
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ubiquiti WLAN
Score 9.2 out of 10
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ubiquiti WLAN
Score 9.2 out of 10
Medium-sized Companies
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Score 9.8 out of 10
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Score 9.8 out of 10
Enterprises
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Score 9.8 out of 10
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Cisco Catalyst 9800 Series Wireless Controllers
Score 9.8 out of 10
All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
User Ratings
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points
Likelihood to Recommend
8.1
(17 ratings)
9.3
(52 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(1 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Performance
-
(0 ratings)
9.5
(45 ratings)
Support Rating
9.4
(5 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
Product Scalability
-
(0 ratings)
8.4
(45 ratings)
Vendor post-sale
-
(0 ratings)
7.3
(1 ratings)
Vendor pre-sale
-
(0 ratings)
8.2
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerCisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points
Likelihood to Recommend
Cisco
I was given the task to setup a new wifi network in a very large building. With many departments and a complicated layout, we needed to have a solid router to handle all of the network traffic and throughput. I was given the task to find a reliable, robust and cost-effective solution. With the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller, I was easily able to setup an autonomous access point with a few clicks. The cloud based controller software was easy to use and had many features I was able to utilize and control.
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Cisco
Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points are well suited for most applications as they scale very well and can be configured to work in a lot of different scenarios. However they are quite costly so they may not be suited for all business purposes. But they do perform and deliver and rarely cause issues.
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Pros
Cisco
  • [...] 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.
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Cisco
  • It is a versatile, clean, balanced and secure access point.
  • Wifi 5 802.11ac wave 2 technology.
  • Client link and cleanair are functions to mitigate and improve user connection.
  • Reliable smartnet service for warranty and technical support.
  • Perfect for offices and indoor locations.
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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
  • Firmware distribution between access points
  • Replace web auth certificate without reloading WLC controllers
  • The issue with expired MIC certificate - but this is not an issue with 9100
  • New AP with new hardware revision works only with the new WLC firmware
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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
No answers on this topic
Usability
Cisco
The GUI is easier to navigate as compared to the 2504. Also the responsiveness of the GUI, the quicker failover capabilities and the enhanced visibility are all major improvements over the previous generation WLC.
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Cisco
The Cisco Catalyst 9120 Access Points have been a solid deployment for me. Using their interface is a mix of new and old. They run IOS, so if you know the CLI, you can easily navigate around them. You can join them to an older controller if it supports a certain version, you can join it to a new 9800 controller--very straight forward--and you can run the embedded wireless controller on them directly. I've found this to be very useful at smaller sites. The Cisco Catalyst 9120 Access Points are not limited to feature sets like the older generations' mobility express platform.
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Performance
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Cisco
Cisco is providing the best in class access points. We would be focusing Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points to have the common platform. We are waiting for cloud implementation on DNA or cloud monitoring of 9800cl in Meraki dashboard. It's reliable, tagging gives a lot of flexibility. Virtualization finally works as expected.
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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 has been very good at correcting early issues with their code. Their TAC support has been fantastic when I would open a case with issues I was facing. Even though the hardware was new, they were very familiar with the interfaces and issues I was having. In the past I've been concerned about adopting a new product right away because of support issues. That was not the case here. Once I had the deployment up and running, they have had a good run of reliability.
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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
In testing, Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points outperformed all other APs in our testing. Performance was second to none in the testing lineup. Reliability has been proven over the many years we have used this product. The new 9100s have also not presented any hardware reliability issues for us so far. Some of the other vendors offer some nice to have features such as Bluetooth device diagnostics and very deep AI assurance.
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Scalability
Cisco
No answers on this topic
Cisco
These access points offer flexibility in deployment scenarios, supporting both standalone and controller-based architectures. Organisations can choose the model that best suits their current needs and scale as their requirements grow. Cisco Aironet Access Points are compatible with Cisco's Wireless LAN controllers, allowing for centralized management and monitoring of a large number of access points across the network. With the recent changes, it will even support cloud base controllers.
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Return on Investment
Cisco
  • 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.
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Cisco
  • With a wide range of Wi-Fi and security options, as well as the ability to expand and scale easily, it’s an excellent solution.
  • It achieved a significant rise in the number of concurrent wireless network users with a low-cost solution that provided outstanding performance.
  • We invested in wireless networks in the long run, and as a result, we could connect more users without compromising performance.
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