Today’s successful businesses need enterprise networks, including great wireless connectivity.
As an IT manager, you understand the importance of wireless technology. And you also know you need to research your options and ensure you’re not wasting money on something that won’t work for your organization.
As an IT consulting company, The KR Group has seen how exceptional wireless can empower a business, and we’ve also seen how inadequate solutions can hold companies back.
Generally, Meraki wireless access points are our go-to recommendation for customers looking for a cloud-managed wireless device that is simple and reliable.
These devices have many noteworthy features, but they aren’t perfect.
We’ll go through a list of pros and cons and be as objective as possible so you can decide if Meraki wireless is right for your organization.
Pros of Meraki Wireless Access Points
Some of the top reasons businesses consider Meraki for wireless solutions are:
- Guest wireless features
- Control functions
- Band steering
Along with these features, different Meraki access point models have additional capabilities. For more detail on those features (and what they cost), check out our article, “Meraki Wireless Access Point Price Variables.”
Pro #1: Guest wireless features
Meraki access points come with various options for configuring guest wireless. All the options are designed to keep your business safe and wireless running effectively.
Meraki natively allows you to configure a splash page for guests logging into your Wi-Fi. You don’t need to install a third-party application to publicize to your guests whose network they’re logging into and request they agree to your policies.
You can also schedule availability per access point. This means you can have your guest network effectively offline after business hours or only available in common areas (lobby, conference room, front office).
Pro #2: Control functions
Administrator control is somewhat limited with Meraki access points (more on this in the con section). However, what control you do have is significant.
Since these access points incorporate their own firewall features, the administrator can configure specific access points not to talk to others. For example, if you have a guest network set up in a lobby, you can prevent it from talking to production networks as a cybersecurity measure.
You can also block specific applications or sites (social media and streaming sites are common use cases) to prevent employees from using your internet for leisure time.
Other control options include:
- Per-user bandwidth limits
- PCI compliance reports
- Wireless health analysis
- Air Marshal
Pro #3: Band steering
Another noteworthy feature of Meraki wireless is the band control functionality. All access points are dual-band and capable of both 2.4 and 5 GHz connections.
As the administrator, you have the option to turn off the 2.4 GHz band. However, if you choose to keep both bands configured, Meraki incorporates band steering.
The access point is intelligent enough to detect which devices are capable of 5 GHz connection and guide them to that band. This frees up the 2.4 GHz band for devices that must use it.
Cons of Meraki Wireless Access Points
Even if all the advantages of Meraki wireless resonate with you, it’s still important to consider what disadvantages you may experience.
Some of the most common problems and frustrations include:
- Dependence on internet connectivity
- Mandatory license renewals
- No command-line access
We’ve found most of these issues aren’t problematic to users. However, they’re still things you should know about before you settle on Meraki access points.
Con #1: Dependence on internet connectivity
Your Meraki wireless access points need internet connectivity to connect your users to the web.
Without a connection, users can still perform local authentication functions, but any authentication features dependent on Wi-Fi won’t work until your internet service resumes.
While this may seem obvious, there are a few details that are easy to overlook. For example, in addition to not logging onto the internet, any wireless functionality reliant on the cloud will stop working.
Con #2: Mandatory license renewals
This is typically the largest complaint from Meraki critics.
Each Meraki device requires a license to operate. You purchase these licenses with your device, but they have an expiration date.
If your licenses expire, then your devices stop working.
However, Meraki’s mandatory licenses aren’t all bad. The license not only gives you access to the cloud-management interface but other important features, such as technical assistance and next-day device replacement.
If you have multiple Meraki devices, you can also co-term licensing to possibly extend the expiration date.
Con #3: No command-line access
This disadvantage is the flip side of Meraki’s simplicity. In part, the simplicity is due to some of the more technical functions being handled on Meraki’s end and not the administrator level.
Whatever is in the graphical user interface (GUI) on your wireless dashboard is what you get, and there is no way to configure anything else.
What does this look like? If an update has a bug that affects your devices’ functionality, there is no way on your own to downgrade to previous licensing. The solution will need to come from Meraki.
Deciding if Meraki Access Points Are Right for You
We’ve found that Meraki access points work for most businesses.
Meraki’s guest wireless, control, and band steering features make them great for small and large businesses who want an efficient way to handle their wireless network.
However, if you’re worried about internet connectivity problems or need command-line access, Meraki may not be a perfect fit. Additionally, if you’re not a fan of Meraki’s licensing model, you might look into an alternative option.
When you’re ready to implement Meraki access points in your business, check out this free datasheet on the different options and what they can and can’t do.