Cisco Meraki MX Works for Us
Updated March 13, 2025

Cisco Meraki MX Works for Us

Anonymous | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Modules Used

  • MX64
  • MX64W
  • MX67
  • MX67W
  • MX84
  • MX100
  • MX250

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Meraki MX

We use Cisco Meraki MX appliances at each site to firewall internet service and to act as endpoint for SDWAN. It can Geofence each location and acts as Web filter, Intrusion Detection System also. The SDWAN allows each site to talk directly to the home site, or to connect to internet services as needed.

Pros

  • Geofencing
  • Firewall
  • SDWAN
  • URL Filtering

Cons

  • Configuration can be slow
  • In the console, movement from one network to another is very slow at times
  • Each site must be separately configured
  • Allowed us to move to less expensive Synchronous Internet connections from private lines.
  • The appliances and licensing for a large number of sites can be expensive.
  • Allows us to let local traffic exit to SaaS Cloud directly instead of through the home site.
We can bring up a new small site in a few hours. It can be tested in the office just as it will be in the field. This lets us pre-configure and send an entire "network in a box" to a remote site. The remote site can then unpack plug and be running in a few minutes.
In those locations where we can use all Cisco Meraki hardware, we have a higher visibility from end to end. We can also manage everything from the same base console, although each location is its own network with its own settings. This can be time consuming when changes are desired.
It seems to scale well, as far as connectivity and reliability go. However, as it scales out, it becomes increasingly time-consuming to configure the different "networks".
It also allows us to use multiple Internet connections for failover and allows us to use Asynchronous internet at some very small sites.
Overall, for a new network admin or a non-IT person, the Cisco Meraki MX is much easier to configure for a single site than the Cisco ASA Firewalls. ASA can be quicker for those with a background in Cisco command line OS.

Do you think Cisco Meraki MX delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Meraki MX's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Meraki MX live up to sales and marketing promises?

No

Did implementation of Cisco Meraki MX go as expected?

No

Would you buy Cisco Meraki MX again?

Yes

The Cisco Meraki MX appliance is especially suited to smaller and medium organizations with fewer sites. It is fairly easy it get up and running and get a base configuration. The Cisco Meraki MX appliance is less suited for organizations that have a lot of sites. It is also not a good fit where an organization needs to be able to configure everything in one setting place.

Cisco Meraki MX Feature Ratings

Firewall
7.1
Identification Technologies
8
Visualization Tools
7
Content Inspection
8
Policy-based Controls
6
Active Directory and LDAP
5
Firewall Management Console
4
Reporting and Logging
9
VPN
8
High Availability
8
Stateful Inspection
8
Proxy Server
Not Rated

Cisco Hybrid Work

  • Cisco Secure Endpoint
  • Working from anywhere (e.g., coffee shop, airport)
  • Working from an office or other company space
  • Working from home
We use a combination of Cisco VPN, SDWAN, and Carrier Private Networking.
Using these options seems to allow remote work with a minimum of security issues.
  • Microsoft Teams
  • Zoom

Using Cisco Meraki MX

300 - All users that are on site are behind a Meraki MX or Z Appliance
Thes3e users perform functions across all Business and technical units.
4 - Cisco Meraki MX is best supported by IT staff that have network architecting and administration experience. Less experienced users could manage Meraki MX appliances, but it could get overwhelming fairly quickly for users without a background in networking.
  • Firewall
  • SDWAN
  • Geoblocking
  • Bring sites on quickly
  • Bring sites on that are not at locations owned by the organization
  • Use Core site MX as VPN head-end
  • possibly use to manage Mobile devices
We are most likely to renew our licensing with Meraki when it expires, barring a newer, faster, less expensive technology that is as safe as the Meraki MX units.

Evaluating Cisco Meraki MX and Competitors

Yes - Cisco ASA Firewall
Core Router
Private lines and remote site routers
MPLS routers
  • Ease of Use
The Meraki MX was sold as an easy to use and easy to manage solution.
We did experience issues with the original partner, but have been much happier since taking over management and control of our own hardware and licensing
This was done by RFP. I think we would probably prefer to get more quotes than the first time

Cisco Meraki MX Support

Cisco Meraki support has been good to very good. Our original support was provided by the selling partner, and that support was not at all good.
ProsCons
Good followup
Kept well informed
No escalation required
Slow Initial Response
No. If Premium support is available, we were not aware of it at the time.
Not that I can think of.

Using Cisco Meraki MX

Cisco Meraki MX allows fairly complicated networking to be performed by less technically astute staff
ProsCons
Like to use
Consistent
Familiar
Requires technical support
  • Bringing a new site online
  • Setting up basic VPN
  • Setting up basic URL filtering
  • Active Directory Integration seemed quite cumbersome
  • Some Geofencing does not work as expected
  • Advanced traffic filtering can be difficult

Comments

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