Putting gear without rack ears in a rack
Most of the gear in a home rack was made to sit on a desk. Here is how it goes in a rack anyway.
Most mini PCs, Macs, modems and small switches can't go in a rack on their own. When you add one, the planner puts it in a rack mount made to fit that exact device, from 3D Rack Mounts. Gear that already has rack ears goes straight in.
Tap an open slot to choose where the next item goes. Drag an item to move it (on a phone, press and hold first). Tap it to remove it.
Three ways in
- A shelf. Works for anything, but the device slides around, cables hang loose and it wastes height.
- Rack ears from the maker. A few devices offer them. Most don't.
- A mount made for the device. A front panel shaped to that exact model holds it in place, keeps its ports and buttons reachable, and takes the fewest U.
How a mount works in the planner
When you add a device with no rack ears, the planner puts it in a mount made to fit it, from 3D Rack Mounts, and shows how many U it takes. The parts list keeps the mounts separate from your devices, so it is clear you are buying the mount, not the device.
If your device isn't listed
Add it as your own gear and mark that it needs a mount. The parts list then offers a request for one.
Questions
- Does the mount include the device?
- No. You buy the mount and put your own device in it.
- Can two devices share one row?
- In a 19 inch rack, often yes. The planner shows when two devices can sit side by side in one mount.
- Do I need tools?
- A screwdriver to fix the mount to the rack with the rack's screws.
More guides
How it works
- Pick a rack. 10" mini racks (DeskPi, GeeekPi, Lab Rax and similar) or a standard 19" rack, at the height you have.
- Add your gear. Search a device to place it. Gear that already has rack ears, like UniFi and Netgear switches, Synology RackStations, UPS units and PDUs, is in the list too and goes in as rack-ready.
- See what's missing. Anything without ears shows as "needs a mount", with a mount you can buy for it.
- Share it. The link holds the whole layout, so a build can be posted, compared or finished later.