Stand Alone Network Racks
Use a professional grade network rack to support all of your rackmount audio, video, security, and networking devices and components. A network rack is the best solution available for installing, maintaining, and managing numerous electronic devices, components, and cables in a central location. At Cabling Plus we offer huge selection of network racks and accessories to support any residential or commercial network installation. Buy the network rack and accessories you need to give your installation a professional and organized look!
Use our Network Racks to organize all your network equipment!
Network racks are ideal for mounting, housing, and organizing numerous electronic devices, passive components, and cables in a central location. A quality network rack solution is vital to the success of any audio video, networking, security, home automation, or home theater installation. The network rack is basically a stand-alone rack that allows you to easily rackmount active electronic devices (routers, switches, hubs, DVR’s) and non-active devices (patch panels, rack shelves, cable management) so they can be used to support the technology infrastructure of a complete network system. Once all your devices and components are installed into a rack you can then dress and organize numerous incoming and outgoing cables that are used to deliver signals and services though out a home or business. Once installed, a network rack will be the central point for you to manage and maintain all your voice, video, data, security, and home automation services and equipment.
Depending on the application, a network rack is often also called a server rack, equipment rack, audio video rack, or even a computer rack. A rack itself is very diverse with numerous different accessories available that support different needs and different system configurations. Many of these accessories include cable management, ladder runway rack, rack panels, mounting hardware, and mounting kits that assist in creating the rack solution that best support your needs. Most electronic equipment like routers, switches, servers, and hubs are rack-mountable so they will mount directly to the rack. If you are using components that are not rack-mountable then you can simply install a rack shelf onto the rack and sit the equipment on top of it. The whole goal is to have all your devices and components in one central location so they can be easily managed, organized, and maintained.
At Cabling Plus we offer a complete line of network racks and server racks to support any network installation type and size. We also offer all the network rack accessories you need to create the rack solution that best fits your needs, environment, and installation type. All of our network rack products and accessories are designed to support both residential and commercial grade installations. At Cabling Plus we only offer the network racks and accessories that are proven, tested, and chosen by network professionals!
What is the purpose of a network or equipment rack?
An equipment rack is used to house and manage technology equipment used in a home or business. A rack is basically an open frame where equipment can be rack mounted or sat on a rack shelf. Installing a rack allows you to put all your equipment in a central location. Having all your equipment in a centralized location makes cabling easy, plus it allows you to integrate different technologies as they send signals throughout the home or business. An equipment rack is the perfect place to put all your audio, video, surround sound, voice, data, security, and surveillance equipment so it is easy to manage and work on. Installing a rack also allows you to install all the connectivity products like patch panels, termination blocks, and 110 blocks that are needed to deliver network signals between components and out to devices like telephones, computers, and television sets.
How do I connect a rack to the floor so it stays in place?
The most popular way is to bolt the rack to the floor. All racks have the required holes on the base that allow you to bolt the rack to the floor. Most quality rack manufacturers will also offer a mounting kit accessory that allows you to anchor the rack to the floor regardless of it is concrete, brick, or stone. If anchoring a rack to the floor is not an option there are caster kits available that allow you to put the rack on wheels. Caster kits are nice because they allow you to use wheels to move the rack in and out of closets, or in a better position to perform work.
What is difference between a 2 and 4 post rack?
Using 4 post racks is very common in large network installations. A 4 post rack is designed to support applications where larger and heavier equipment is being used in an installation. The 4 post rack also allows for larger 4 post shelves to be used for placing large equipment on. Sometimes equipment like a UPS (power supply) or server is just too large for a normal 2 post rack. In this case a 4 post rack may be required. Both a 2 post and 4 post rack generally work the same. But the 4 post rack will support larger and heavier equipment.
How do I choose the right network rack to support my needs?
Racks are available in different sizes and types. Some are taller than others which mean they offer more rack mount spaces to support equipment. Some have a 2 post configuration, and some have a 4 post configuration. Some racks are simpler than others, where some are more complex and have built-in channels to manage and route cables. The key to a successful rack installation is to plan it all out prior to the installation. By planning we mean evaluate your location options for your rack and technology to figure out which rack can go in a particular area. The next step is to evaluate the equipment you need to support. This will include looking at the equipment’s dimensions, weight, and special mounting requirements. You also want to evaluate the number of rack mount spaces you need to support the equipment you are installing. The final step will to figure out the extra peripherals you will need to make the installation complete. These peripherals could include cable management panels, connectivity products, power, ladder racks, or anything that will be needed to support your network infrastructure. Once you have done all the planning you can then go out and choose the products you need to make your installation successful!
What is the purpose of using ladder rack?
Using ladder rack is most common in commercial and large residential installations. Ladder rack is used to create a path to manage cable from the wall to a rack. It also adds stability to a rack since it essentially using the ladder rack to attach to the wall. The ladder rack is usually 5 to 10 feet long and will attach to the top of a rack on one end, while on the other end the ladder rack will attach to a wall mount bracket that is mounted on the wall. There are numerous accessories available for adding ladder rack to a rack configuration. The key is to have the ladder rack long enough to create the necessary room needed between the wall and rack to perform work
Will all of my equipment mount directly to the rack?
Not all equipment is rack mountable. Most rackmountable equipment will support the industry standard 19” format which means it should be able to mount directly to the rack. Some rackmountable equipment like security DVR’s, monitors, audio receivers and amplifiers, and home automation equipment will come with special rackmount ears that attach to the equipment and to the rack at the same time. If your equipment is not rackmountable then you have the option to by rack shelves to install on the rack and then set your equipment on top of. Rack shelves are very popular for supporting monitors, cable TV boxes, power supplies, and other equipment that is not configured to be rack mounted.
What is the best way to mount a monitor to a rack?
The best way to attach a monitor to a network rack is to rack mount it. Most monitor manufacturers offer a rack mount kit that allows you to easily attach a monitor to the rack. This is a very fast and simple installation method. If rack mounting a monitor is not an option the next option is to buy a rack shelf and set the monitor on the top of it. There are also keyboard and mouse shelves and drawers that can be mounted under the monitor on the rack. These will allow you to have your monitor, mouse, and keyboard in a central location for working on the equipment.
Do I need to assemble the rack when I receive it?
Yes. Most equipment racks really consist of a few pieces. All you have is the posts and the base. So there is very little assembly required. You can have an entire rack assembled and ready for use in a matter of minutes.
How do I choose the location to place my equipment rack?
The location you choose to place your equipment rack is very important. It needs to be in a location where you have access to install cabling from the rack out to all your technology locations. This means you need cable pathways from your rack out to all of your computers, telephones, speakers, security cameras, or any other devices that will be supported by equipment placed on the rack. You also need to evaluate the area you are placing the rack to ensure you have the room to support your final configuration. Remember! A rack is open in the front and back. So you will need enough room to either get behind the rack to perform work, or enough room to move the rack in a direction that creates the room you need to get access behind the rack.