Building My Home Lab: 32U 1000mm Depth Network Rack Journey

 

Update

I originally bought a network rack for $600, but later found out I needed to pay an additional $710 for shipping. At that point, I decided to cancel the order.

So for now, my Network Rack project is on hold... 😢

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The Plan

Including the rack and other expenses, it was roughly ₩1,000,000 KRW invested.

While studying for the CCIE Enterprise Wireless (EW), I purchased a lot of physical lab gear. The problem was, everything quickly became a mess, so I decided I needed a proper network rack.

I chose a 32U rack, which is about 1.6 meters tall—roughly shoulder height.

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Why This Rack?

• I considered an open rack, but dust management would’ve been a nightmare.
• I went with a closed rack that has a roof, though I’ll probably keep the front door open most of the time.
• The key factor was depth. I own a Dell server that’s about 800mm deep, so I needed at least a 1000mm depth rack to fit it.
• I’m planning to install it on the first floor, not in the garage. The first floor is air-conditioned 24/7, though I usually only keep it running while I’m working.

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Concerns & Logistics

I assume the rear door is mesh for airflow—otherwise, the manufacturer would be out of their mind. Still, I haven’t confirmed yet, so there’s some risk.

Pickup is also going to be a challenge:

• It’s about a 1-hour drive to Torrance to pick it up (no delivery option).
• The rack weighs around 120kg, so I’ll need to load it into the car myself and handle the installation at home.

Hard work ahead, but honestly... I’m passionate about this.

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Why I’m Doing This

I’ve been a network engineer 24/7/365, and I’ll probably die as one. Owning my own rack has always been a dream—it’s part pride, part necessity.

My gear being scattered everywhere was driving me crazy, so even though this is a “smaller” model, it’ll be a huge improvement in organization.

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Rack Specs

• 32U height (approx. 1.6m)
• 1000mm depth (for Dell server fit)
• Max load capacity: 770kg
• Wheels for mobility

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⚡️ This project may be delayed for now, but once I restart it, I’ll finally have my dream home lab rack setup.

 

 

 

 

Power Setup (PDU)

Right now I have about 30 devices connected in the lab. With just a single 10-outlet PDU, things are a bit tight. My plan is to gradually scale up:

• Add 3 PDUs total (10 outlets each)
• Each PDU will be connected to its own wall socket for proper load distribution

This way I can spread the power load evenly and avoid overloading a single circuit.

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Future Plans: Nexus Lab

At some point, I’m planning to bring in Cisco Nexus gear as well—mainly for ACI and NX-OS labs. The plan includes:

• Nexus 9k
• Nexus 7k
• Nexus 5k

For now, this part of the project is on hold since it’s a pretty big financial commitment.

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Current Focus: Wireless

Lately, I’ve been much more interested in Wireless.

• It’s less expensive compared to Nexus gear
• Very few engineers are diving deep into it, which makes it a unique specialization

As part of my CCIE Enterprise Wireless prep, I’ve already collected about 15 Cisco AP 3800 series units.

• Generation: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2)
• These are enterprise-grade APs that will let me replicate real-world deployments for study and testing.

📡 Cisco Aironet 3802I-B-K9 Access Point

🔎 Model Details

• Series: Aironet 3800 Series
• Generation: Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2)
• Band Support: 2.4 GHz + 5 GHz (Dual Band)
• MIMO: 4x4:4 MU-MIMO (up to 3.0 Gbps)
• Antenna: Internal → the “I” at the end of the SKU means Internal antenna
• Regulatory Domain: –B → North America (FCC)
• License: –K9 → Encryption-enabled SKU (standard enterprise model)

📦 How to Read the SKU (AIR-AP3802I-B-K9)

• AIR-AP3802 → Aironet 3800 series, model 3802
• I → Internal antenna
• B → North America domain (FCC)
• K9 → Encryption-enabled SKU

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📶 My Current Wireless Gear

✅ Wi-Fi 5 (802.11ac Wave 2) → Owned (about 15x AP 3802 units)
❌ Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) → Not yet
❌ Wi-Fi 6E (6 GHz) → Not yet
❌ Wi-Fi 7 → Not yet

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🧪 Next Steps & Research Plans

1. Buy Wi-Fi 6 APs
   • Planning to go with an external antenna model
   • Test different use cases with external antennas
2. Directional / Patch Antennas
   • Example: Use a directional antenna in a VIP meeting room to “flashlight” coverage where needed
   • Experiment with azimuth and elevation angles to see how coverage changes
3. Survey & Tools
   • Thinking about investing in Ekahau for professional Wi-Fi surveys
   • Maybe even do a survey of my own neighborhood for fun (still just an idea 😅)

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🏁 Current Focus

For now, I’ll leave the wireless expansion for the next month (or the month after… or whenever I pull the trigger 😆).

As for today… it’s back to mastering BGP.
(CISSP prep is on pause for now.)