TrustRadius: an HG Insights company

Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller vs. UniFi Cloud Gateways

Save this comparison

Save this comparison

Add Product

Recommended Comparisons

    Overview
    ProductRatingMost Used ByProduct SummaryStarting Price

    Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller

    Score8.2 out of 10
    N/AThe Cisco 3504 Wireless (WLAN) Controller provides centralized control, management, and troubleshooting for small to medium-sized enterprises and branch offices.N/A

    UniFi Cloud Gateways

    Score8.3 out of 10
    N/AUbiquiti Networks supports enterprise network security and wireless WAN via the WiFi integrated UniFi Cloud Gateways, including the Dream Router 7, and the UniFi Express 7.N/A
    Pricing
    Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerUniFi Cloud Gateways
    Editions & Modules
    No answers on this topic
    No answers on this topic
    Offerings
    Pricing Offerings
    Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerUniFi Cloud Gateways
    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 ControllerUniFi Cloud Gateways
    Considered Both Products
    Cisco
    Chose Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller
    The Cisco 3504 Controller is easy to deploy and use. It was very easy to deploy and integrate with our wireless network. The wireless controller 3504 is a wireless controller that we can use to manage all access points. The Cisco 3504 wireless controller is a network device …
    Incentivized
    Ubiquiti Networks
    No answer on this topic
    Key User Insights
    Would buy again
    95%
    Would buy again
    18 Answers
    100%
    Would buy again
    11 Answers
    Delivers good value for the price
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    16 Answers
    100%
    Delivers good value for the price
    11 Answers
    Happy with the feature set
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    19 Answers
    100%
    Happy with the feature set
    11 Answers
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    94%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    17 Answers
    100%
    Lived up to sales and marketing promises
    11 Answers
    Implementation went as expected
    100%
    Implementation went as expected
    18 Answers
    91%
    Implementation went as expected
    10 Answers
    Best Alternatives
    Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerUniFi Cloud Gateways
    Small Businesses
    WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi Cloud
    Score9.1 out of 10
    No answers on this topic
    Medium-sized Companies
    Cisco Aironet 1800 Series Access Points (discontinued)
    Score8.5 out of 10
    Forcepoint SWG
    Score8 out of 10
    Enterprises
    Cisco Catalyst 9100 Access Points
    Score9.2 out of 10
    Skyhigh Secure Web Gateway
    Score8 out of 10
    All AlternativesView all alternativesView all alternatives
    User Ratings
    Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerUniFi Cloud Gateways
    Likelihood to Recommend
    9.0
    (21 ratings)
    9.0
    (12 ratings)
    Likelihood to Renew
    9.0
    (2 ratings)
    -
    (0 ratings)
    Usability
    8.6
    (5 ratings)
    8.0
    (2 ratings)
    Support Rating
    9.4
    (5 ratings)
    10.0
    (1 ratings)
    User Testimonials
    Cisco 3504 WLAN ControllerUniFi Cloud Gateways
    Likelihood to Recommend
    Cisco
    What I
    like most about the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller is that its user interface makes
    networking very simple. Shows real-time information about the network which
    helps admins watch the traffic flow and client connections using the dashboard.
    Since it’s so simple, people find it very easy to start using the system. The complexity in setting it up for the first time could hinder
    efficient deployment in fast-paced environments.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    Ubiquiti's wireless WAN solution is suitable for usage in businesses of all sizes. Smaller businesses may not profit as much from the integration of Wi-Fi devices due to the high expense of doing so, hence the cost-benefit analysis favors larger businesses. In big and medium-sized businesses, having access to such tools improves network security and administration by allowing for several, conceptually separate networks to be managed and made available from a single Wi-Fi access point.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Pros
    Cisco
    • Allows an administrator to manage all the wireless access points through a single point.
    • It can accommodate the increase in the size of the network and accommodate other new devices with ease.
    • It has several technological features that make it secure against hackers, especially to corporate networks and data owned by the user.
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    • Automatically load balances based on band. Makes it simple to spread out users.
    • Updates can be set to automatic or manual. Automatic uses rolling updates, happens every time we update the controller.
    • Continually add new features and improvements with their FREE software upgrades
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Cons
    Cisco
    • I have been using the Cisco 3504 wlan controller for about 1 years now. I have found it to be very reliable, but cumbersome to setup and configure. The GUI is not very user friendly, but if you configure it a few times you get used to it. It is lacking in some of the latest features that are offered by other vendors. The power usage is pretty good and the amount of AP's you can add is pretty standard
    • Cisco is everywhere. If you are looking for WLAN, Switching, or other related products, Cisco is the 800 pound gorilla in the room. With this in mind, you'd figure that their wireless controller would be their flagship product, right? Unfortunately, this is not the case. For the price point, the 3504 is a pretty lackluster product.
    • 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, all other things are perfect .
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    • Supply can be a problem, especially for new products. We have had to sometimes wait for months for supply to come in.
    • No phone support. Only email/chat. can be frustrating sometimes just texting someone, but have not had to contact them very often.
    Incentivized
    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.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    No answers on this topic
    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.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    The interface is user friendly and the ability to access cloud interface from anywhere in the world is a solid plus for UniFi Cloud Gateways.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    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.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    We have not needed to contact support, except to replace one device that was damaged in shipping. The company immediately issued an RMA without delay, and we had our replacement product within a week
    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.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    In the past, we used D-Link wi-fi devices, where centralized management was not possible, distributing the same SSID through several devices. Which cost configuration time and instability in the use between one point and another, because eventually, this transition between a device and another by a client was not transparent and functional as it is today with the Ubiquiti solution.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Return on Investment
    Cisco
    • Due to the stability of the system, there is practically no incidence of serious problems that require total interruption of the environment.
    • Even with EOL, product support will still continue for a long time, ensuring peace of mind and time to work on a new solution and/or upgrade.
    • Investment in a single wireless network, segmented, without multiple devices from multiple brands.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    Ubiquiti Networks
    • Huge cost savings. Buy it once and you are done, no annual renewals.
    • Extremely reliable and scalable. We went from 0 to 900 Chromebooks in 2 years.
    • Very little maintenance, set it and forget it. Allows us to focus on other tasks.
    Incentivized
    Read full review
    ScreenShots