Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller vs. Fortinet Wireless LAN

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
Fortinet Wireless LAN
Score 6.5 out of 10
N/A
Fortinet headquartered in Sunnyvale, California offers Wireless LAN products.N/A
Pricing
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerFortinet Wireless LAN
Editions & Modules
No answers on this topic
No answers on this topic
Offerings
Pricing Offerings
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerFortinet Wireless LAN
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 ControllerFortinet Wireless LAN
Top Pros
Top Cons
Best Alternatives
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerFortinet Wireless LAN
Small Businesses
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ubiquiti WLAN
Score 9.3 out of 10
Ubiquiti WLAN
Ubiquiti WLAN
Score 9.3 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 ControllerFortinet Wireless LAN
Likelihood to Recommend
8.1
(17 ratings)
8.3
(3 ratings)
Likelihood to Renew
9.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Usability
8.0
(1 ratings)
-
(0 ratings)
Support Rating
9.4
(5 ratings)
10.0
(1 ratings)
User Testimonials
Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerFortinet Wireless LAN
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
Fortinet offers great Security features and is one of the leaders on that, and integrating Wireless LAN infrastructure with Access points proved to work rather seamlessly. Ease of management, single platform and ability to customize licensing as per needs were elements in favor of adding the Wireless LAN solution from Fortinet to our security portfolio.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
  • Really easy to configure
  • Really easy to manage
  • Great value for price
Read full review
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
Read full review
Fortinet
  • In the web portal, it would be nice if you could create a customer, assign that customer all the devices in the solution, and have a single pane glass to manage them all. Right now you need to access different web links to manage the devices.
  • The security feature set could be a bit more sophistication, like an Arista AP which polices the air.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
No answers on this topic
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
Fortinet offers excellent support. They will work with you until the solution is doing what it is designed to do, within its capabilities. They also do an excellent to follow-up with the end-user prior to closing the ticket.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
as a stand-alone product, the Fortinet wireless LAN solution isn't the most powerful, nor compelling out there. Others, like Cisco Meraki, offer great products, with added wifi features at a similar price point, but where Forti shines, is when integrated into a network with firewall enablement such as FortiGate. Overall, it stacks up well with others and is a solution that needs to be evaluated in a purchasing project.
Read full review
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.
Read full review
Fortinet
  • Less management cost
  • Less expensive to buy
Read full review
ScreenShots