PACKETPERF

Primary Device

Aruba AP-515
Aruba AP-515
★ 3.4 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), dual radio, OFDMA, MU-MIMO, Target Wake Time
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 4x4:4 on 5 GHz; 2x2:2 on 2.4 GHz
  • Aggregate Throughput: 5375 Mbps combined (4800 Mbps on 5 GHz + 575 Mbps on 2.4 GHz); some listings cite 2.69 Gbps PHY
  • Radios (bands): 2.4 GHz (2x2) + 5 GHz (4x4), concurrent dual-band
  • Uplink Port Speed: 1x HPE SmartRate E0 RJ-45 (100/1000/2500BASE-T, 2.5 GbE); 1x E1 10/100/1000BASE-T
  • Max Clients: 512 associated clients per radio per the 510 Series spec (one retailer lists 256 per radio)
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3af/802.3at PD on E0 (802.3at recommended; 802.3af requires IPM enabled, draws about 13.5 W); 20.8 W at 802.3at/bt
  • Bluetooth / IoT: Bluetooth 5 and Zigbee (BLE radio)
  • Security: WPA3, TPM

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Wi-Fi 6 with 4x4 5 GHz radio for high per-client rates; 2.5 GbE uplink on the E0 port relieves a 1 GbE bottleneck; Broad 802.3at PoE support with a 1 GbE fallback port; Built-in Bluetooth 5 and Zigbee for IoT use; WPA3 and TPM support for enterprise security; Managed through Aruba Central or Mobility Conductor; Dual-band, concurrent operation with the 2.4 GHz radio for legacy clients
  • ✘ Cons: The 2.4 GHz radio is only 2x2, so it is much slower than the 5 GHz radio; Needs 802.3at PoE for full function; 802.3af with IPM disabled is unsupported; Aggregate throughput and max-client figures vary across listings; Only one multi-gig port, so no second 2.5 GbE uplink; Higher price than many Wi-Fi 6 APs in its class
  • Est. Price: $1,135 - $1,757

Compare Against

Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro
Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro
★ 5.0 Value Score

Technical Specifications

  • Wi-Fi Standard: Wi-Fi 7 (802.11be), tri-band
  • Spatial Streams (MIMO): 6 total; 2x2 MIMO per band (2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz)
  • Aggregate Throughput: 9.3 Gbps (per-band: 2.4 GHz 688 Mbps, 5 GHz 2882 Mbps, 6 GHz 5765 Mbps)
  • Radios (bands): 3 radios: 2.4 GHz, 5 GHz, 6 GHz
  • Uplink Port Speed: 1x 2.5GbE RJ45 (1G/2.5G auto-negotiation)
  • Max Clients: 300+ connected devices
  • PoE Requirement: 802.3at PoE+ (44-57V DC input), approx. 21 W typical draw

Curation Review

  • ✔ Pros: Tri-band Wi-Fi 7 with 6 GHz support at a low entry price; 2.5GbE uplink lets it outrun standard gigabit wired backhaul; single-cable PoE+ power simplifies deployment; 300+ client capacity suits small-to-medium offices and homes; wall and ceiling mounts included; 2-year warranty; managed centrally through the UniFi controller ecosystem
  • ✘ Cons: Only 2x2 MIMO per band, so it trails 4x4-class Wi-Fi 7 APs and the U7 Pro Max; no 10GbE uplink for high-throughput environments; requires a UniFi controller (UniFi OS or Network app) for full management; PoE+ budget leaves no headroom for power-hungry add-ons; street prices often sit above the $189 MSRP; no built-in PoE injector, so a PoE+ switch or injector is required
  • Est. Price: $179 - $237

Popular Comparisons

Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti UniFi U7 Pro Aruba AP-515 vs Ubiquiti U6 Pro Aruba AP-515 vs Cisco Catalyst 9178i Aruba AP-515 vs Cisco Catalyst 9176I (CW9176I) Aruba AP-515 vs Cisco Catalyst 9166 Series (CW9166)