Primary Device
Aruba AP-535
★ 3.7 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Wi-Fi Standard: 802.11ax (WiFi 6)
- Spatial Streams (MIMO): 2x2 MIMO per band (dual-band)
- Aggregate Throughput: 3.5 Gbps
- 2.4GHz Throughput: 1.7 Gbps
- 5GHz Throughput: 1.8 Gbps
- Radios: Dual-band (2.4GHz and 5GHz)
- Uplink Port Speed: 1 Gigabit Ethernet (PoE)
- Max Clients: 150 concurrent users
- PoE Requirement: PoE+ (802.3at, 23W minimum)
- Antenna Configuration: Dual internal antennas per band
- Security: WPA3, 802.1X
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: WiFi 6 performance delivers gigabit-class throughput; PoE powered simplifies deployment with single cable run; Instant On cloud management provides zero-touch provisioning and simple web/mobile admin interface; excellent price-to-performance ratio for SMB/enterprise environments; strong range and coverage for medium-sized deployments
- ✘ Cons: Single Gigabit uplink can become bottleneck in high-density WiFi 6 environments; internal antenna design limits customization for specialized coverage scenarios; lacks advanced features found in Aruba Enterprise line (Aruba 6xx series); modest client density limits suitability for very dense venues like stadiums; PoE+ power constraint prevents future feature expansion
- Est. Price: $299 - $449
Compare Against
Cisco Catalyst 9176I (CW9176I)
★ 4.3 Value Score
Technical Specifications
- Switching Capacity: 51.2 Tbps
- Forwarding Rate: 38.4 Tbps
- Chassis Slots: 16-slot modular
- Port Options: Varies by line card configuration (up to 576 10GE/25GE ports or mixed)
- Layer Support: L2/L3
- PoE Support: Supported via optional PoE line cards
- Stacking Support: Yes, via Catalyst 9000 stacking
- Redundancy: Dual supervisor engines, hot-swappable
- Management: Cisco DNA Center compatible
- Max Power Consumption: 8400W
Curation Review
- ✔ Pros: Modular architecture allows flexible configuration for enterprise campuses; Extremely high switching capacity (51.2 Tbps) supports massive scale deployments; Full redundancy with dual supervisors and hot-swappable components; Integrated security and SD-Access ready; Supports latest 25GE/40GE/100GE line cards for future-proof design
- ✘ Cons: Very high capital expense ($85K–$125K+) makes it suitable only for large enterprises; Steep learning curve for network administrators unfamiliar with modular platforms; Requires significant power infrastructure (8400W maximum); Configuration complexity increases operational overhead; Price-to-performance ratio may be excessive for mid-market networks
- Est. Price: $85,000 - $125,000