What Wireless solution do you use?

[JMasonHHS]

We've been with Ruckus for over 8 years now and are looking to upgrade our infrastructure.

 

We're happy with their service but would like to know what other wireless solutions are being used in educational environments.

 

We have around 40 APs supporting 250+ clients.

 

Thanks!

[HarkNowHear]

Meraki. We're currently in the process of finishing off a wireless upgrade: 119 new MR44 access points across two academies. Up until recently one site was using Ruckus, one an older Meraki setup.

[Davit2005]

2300 Aruba APs supporting 8000 users average with remote sites using remote APs for wired/wireless connectivity. 3 controller cluster with mobility masters also in cluster. No real issues in 5 years apart from admin created issues by third parties, lol. Edited March 3, 2022 by Davit2005

[SpaceInvader83]

Aruba managed by Aruba central here, 90 ap's, mostly AP515's, pricing was a steal when we tendered to replace our Meru system.

[mdrabble]

Unifi - 44 x Nano HD APs with a Linux VM running as the controller.

 

Use a Windows NPS server for Radius authentication with Dynamic VLANs, so depending which AD group you are in will determine which VLAN you are put on.

Use the Unifi Guest Portal - with one time only passes which last 24 hours

Works will with Smoothwall

 

Only issue was a dodgy firmware release which has now been resolved.

 

No real support other than on here and the Unifi Forums.

 

It was cheap and has done the job for the last 4 years really well - so no real complaints.

 

When I come to replace and have the funds, may look at something which can show me more information about traffic - which I could do with Unifi, if I had the Security Gateway up and running, but that caused some issues.

[Oaktech]

Unifi at 1 school (35 APs, captive portal, VLAN'd guest portal)

Ruckus at the other 2. One Ruckus is a practically brand new 15 AP AC system and cost a fortune, the other is an 12 AP N150 system from about 10 years ago, ironically the difference in infrastructure quality between the 2 schools means there is negligible performance difference between the 2!

Edited March 3, 2022 by Oaktech

[psydii]

Aruba IAPs expanded from 4 to 90, and then moved them under Airwave. TBH for a small installation the built in IAP management is fine.

 

Great support so far. (a few RMAs and 1 firmware/software issue). Documentation superb. Peer support forums pretty solid too.

 

4x4 would be my recommended minimum - gives you enough diversity to handle the slower lower end devices without bringing the whole thing to a crawl.

[colly72]

60 Meraki APs here. Older MR32 variety but still going strong after around 6 years.

[ThatBoringBloke]

Meraki. We were a Unifi site, but Connect the Classroom came along and provided funding WAY above what I have had previously!

[robyholmes]

Unifi site here. Works very well and didn't cost the earth.

[atcoates]

We're all Meraki across my sites.

[Aprice]

Mix now of Cisco Mobility Express (Just converted to after 2504 WLC failed), Aruba IAPs (without central) and Unifi. Aruba's are my preferred.

[bald_pig]

Ruckus here.

[DavR]

Extreme Cloud IQ - i.e. what was Aerohive several rebrandings ago.

 

Hoping to move to Merkai next financial year.

[Cat_Jam148]

UniFi site here - we've used both their AP's and network switches for a good number of years now and can't complain. All managed via a Cloud Key Gen 2. Will probably stick with them when the time comes to upgrade.

[LeMarchand]

Unifi site here. Works very well and didn't cost the earth.

 

Ditto, though the APs do go EOL faster than I'd like. They still work fine, but support gets dropped.

[dmason2]

extreme IQ, new set up, so far so good, management is really easy webportal is great too

[computer_expert]

Started off with Meraki - fantastic but cost an arm and a leg to renew

Then moved to Ubiquiti Unifi - was a disaster, buggy AP firmware and ended up moving away due to various issues with both switches and APs

Now on Aruba IAPs and these have been fantastic so far

[mcolbourn]

Unifi School here with our controller hosted by hostiFi

[Jcx500]

Aruba here

[ozydave]

Ruckus, rock solid

[Rob_D]

aruba went in over Christmas. So far it works great

[DaveJ2717uk]

Aruba since last summer - excellent so far

[Wubbalubbadub]

This would have been a good opportunity to put a Poll up.

 

Our primary schools and trust office use Unifi. Our secondary schools are a mix and match of random things.

 

We are in the process of reviewing our secondary schools wifi, and I am tempted to go Aruba, as although i love Unifi, i just don't feel it is good enough for secondary schools.

[TheRobins]

Moved to Ruckus Unleashed from a Meru system in the Autumn last year. What a difference, 30 R750's and 4 external T310c AP's. Its fit and forget for me, just works really well. Easily runs 30 plus laptops in a classroom all running cloud O365 mapped drives and watching rich content all at the same time via our 1gb connection. I have paired them all up with a range of HPE1930s Aruba POE switches and all has been faultless so far.