Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller

Score8.3 out of 10

120 Reviews and Ratings

What is Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller?

The Cisco 3504 Wireless (WLAN) Controller provides centralized control, management, and troubleshooting for small to medium-sized enterprises and branch offices.

Categories & Use Cases

Wireless LAN

Fiona Godiva View profile

Senior User Experience Designer in Information Technology at Verizon (10,001+ employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

The Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller can handle large networks well, though it could be improved on some points. Using advanced analytics and AI insights could help networks improve the way they function and make user experience better. Greater flexibility and control can be achieved by also working on better security and easier cloud management. They will help companies handle operations better and make the wireless infrastructure flexible and durable.

Pros

This model is notable for being very scalable and robust.
The controller includes advanced security features such as threat detection and mitigation which is different from most competitors.
Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller delivers a complete and secure solution for companies that need wireless networking.

Cons

Its price is much higher than other similar WLAN controllers available.
It can also be difficult and take a lot of time for people new to Cisco to set up the system for the first time.
The user interface is easy to use, new administrators may find all the configuration options complicated which could cause network issues.

Return on Investment

With support for 150 access points and up to 3,000 clients, the unit makes sure connectivity is steady even when there are a lot of clients present.
Because of Cisco’s excellent support services and the ability to easily work with other Cisco products, makes it quite easy to implement in our organization.
The higher pricing on this tool could discourage small organizations and new startups from using the technology, so they might not experience the benefits of reliable wireless systems as these.

Usability

Other Software Used

Wireshark, Oracle PeopleSoft HCM, Cisco DNA Analytics and Assurance

Kembria Pery View profile

Senior Instructional Designer and Program Manager in Marketing at Kappa Delta Sorority (51-200 employees employees)

Pros

Effective scalability and dependability
Able to fit many types of installations
Advanced security features

Cons

Adding advanced analytics and AI insights
Better security and built-in cloud management
More flexibility and control

Return on Investment

Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller is more expensive
The user interface is not very much user-friendly
Ensures wireless security

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Ubiquiti WLAN, WatchGuard Secure Wi-Fi Cloud and Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points

Other Software Used

Google Drive, Basecamp, Cisco Duo, Cisco Intersight, Zendesk Sell

Marian Corral Garay View profile

Data Engineer in Information Technology at Equifax Chile S.A. (201-500 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

From my experience, I can mention that I have had very little trouble with the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller. Wireless design and wireless implementation have been flexibly integrated in the modern World Wide Web; this is very indispensable, especially with increasing demands from the market onto our digital interfaces. Overall, the network performance and security have enhanced the continuity and stability of the connection in the firm.

Pros

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.

Cons

The easiest drawback that the users are likely to experience is the initial configuration of the system.
Sometimes software updates can cause some service interruptions.
Certain network configurations may be unavailable even when using the advanced version of the application.

Return on Investment

Implies an increase in the efficiency in usage and productivity of wireless connections by the users.
It relieves work overload and controls and speeds up the process of eliminating problems.
Rare delays in immediate response procedures are caused by occasional hitches in the firmware update processes.

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Ubiquiti Networks UniFi and Cisco 5520 Wireless Controller

Other Software Used

SAP Signavio Process Transformation Suite, Cisco Board Series, IBM Watson Discovery

Verified User

Manager in Information Technology (201-500 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

We primarily use the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller for managing wireless network infrastructure in our corporate office. The product gives an excellent centralized management portal for managing multiple access points across the office. We use Cisco WLAN mainly because of the ease of configuring and the advanced security features it has, like wap3, rouge access point detection, wips etc. We also use guest access management. We have recently scaled the number of access points very easily. Due to the Cisco 3504 WLAN Controller, our network uptime is 100% even with the complex network.

Pros

Excellent ui/ux features
Easy to scale
Security features like WPA3, rogue access point detection, and wireless intrusion prevention systems
Quality of Service (QoS) settings and bandwidth limitations
Centralized management system
Supports IoT devices

Cons

Cost is high compared to other vendors in market
Advanced Reporting can be better
Real-Time Analytics could be better

Return on Investment

Increased security
1000% uptime
Scalability
Operational Efficiency
Reduced Security Incidents

Usability

Alternatives Considered

Aruba ClearPass

Other Software Used

Aruba ClearPass, Nutanix AHV, Nutanix Cloud Infrastructure

Bhupesh Pant View profile

React Developer in Engineering at Boxinall (51-200 employees employees)

Use Cases and Deployment Scope

I'm a big fan of the brand Cisco, and I'm always looking for ways to improve my wireless network at home and in our office. I was tired of the wireless network that didn't work well in my house, so I began to look for a new model of a wireless access point to solve the problem. I came to the conclusion that the Cisco 3504 provided the best solution, and I bought it. I'm buying it because it is the best wireless access point on the market and it is the most reliable. I had to change some new APs, and it helped me solve the problem in less than half an hour

Pros

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.

Cons

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 .

Most Important Features

11ac APs are supported. Access to the network is extremely stable.
The park of APs is managed and automated by this person.Authentication and entrance permissions that are both strong.
It's great for hopping around from one environment to the next.It can control up to 1,500 access points on a wifi network.
Licenses are not required for the High Availability Controller.

Return on Investment

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.

Alternatives Considered

Cisco Meraki Wireless Access Point and Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points

Other Software Used

Aruba Instant Wi-Fi Access Points, Ubiquiti Wireless WAN