Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers is a solid wireless controller
May 12, 2022

Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers is a solid wireless controller

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

Software Version

5520 Wireless Controller

Overall Satisfaction with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers

We use Cisco WLC 5520's for all of our critical Wi-Fi needs in our administration areas as well as our industrial areas. Those areas include warehousing and industrial manufacturing which is quite harsh on electronics. We use them for inventory management, wireless voice handsets, video conferencing, IoT connectivity, and daily user access. Our WLCs are set up in local mode so all traffic goes back to the controllers for central management as well as bringing data back to the data center. We oftentimes would need a wired ethernet connection where one was not possible so we would implement both mesh and workgroup bridge deployments using the Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers.
  • Access Point Mangement
  • Security
  • User interface
  • Feature set for wireless control and fine tuning
  • Older interface
  • Training
  • Mesh setup can be difficult
  • Security
  • Voice
  • Ease of use
  • Support
  • Updates
  • Extended network environment
  • Keeps production running
  • Increased communication on our factory floor
  • Safety tracking over wifi
I would say the Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers would be a top contender as the best enterprise wireless controller that I have used. It has so many features and settings that can be controlled compared to other vendors. The newer Cisco 9800 is a different technology. At this time I prefer the older style of design because I am more familiar with it. I feel that the quality and longevity of the Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers are better than the competition and when you need support Cisco TAC has been more helpful and knowledgeable compared to the competition.

Do you think Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers's feature set?

Yes

Did Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Cisco Wireless LAN Controllers again?

Yes

Cisco Identity Services Engine (ISE), Cisco Umbrella, Cisco Secure Endpoint (formerly Cisco AMP)
These WLCs have become a critical piece of our infrastructure and we depend on them daily. These are normally deployed centrally in a server room or data center but they can be set up to manage access points at other remote locations in flex mode. The 5520 should be used for larger deployments when you have hundreds of access points that need to be connected. We have our setup in a HA pair so if one goes down the wireless will stay up. I would say these are for medium to large businesses who are willing to invest a lot into their wireless design because they are not a cheap solution but they work great once you invest in them and get them set up.