Jeff Geerling

For months, I've been working on Project MINI RACK, a resource for mini homelabs, portable RF rigs, and more!

I hinted at it yesterday, but today I published a video, a blog post, and a full GitHub repo to help others build compact, efficient equipment racks! šŸ§µ

Jan 17 at 3:06pmWeb
Show threadJeff GeerlingJan 17

First, kicking things off with a videoā€”I introduce the project, show off three mini rack builds of my own (including a portable solar-powered rack!), and four builds from the community! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y1GCIwLm3is

And for those less visually-inclined, of *course* I always post the same thing, with even more detail, on my blog: https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2025/project-mini-rack-compact-and-portable-homelabs

Then there's the open source project itself, which is here: https://mini-rack.jeffgeerling.com

Project MINI RACK - a Homelab Revolution!

YouTube
Show threadJeff GeerlingJan 17
I'd love to see what mini racks *you* come up with! And special shout-out to the Reddit r/minilab community :)
Show threadDiogo ConstantinoJan 17
@geerlingguy these are amazing but too expensive for me.
Show threadkasperdJan 17
Are these mini racks a new industry standard?
Show threadJeff GeerlingJan 17
@kasperd They've been around a while, but only in niche situations. But the width is pretty standard (as it's often called "half rack", and some devices can either be paired up for a full 19" or split apart and fit one in 1U of mini rack space).
Show threadJacob HobbieJan 17
@geerlingguy I know itā€™s not super sexy, but my dream is to honestly just make the perfect apartment networking setup: Modem, Router, Switch, all in one easy to move setup so the networking is all in one easy place. Maybe a Mac Mini to Dockerize Home Assistant and Plex.
Show threadMartinLJan 18
@geerlingguy Time for a new hashtag #minirack
Show threadJensJan 18
@geerlingguy My DIY Mini Rack story
Not finished yet, work in progress
Show threadtĆ¼rmchenbauer tomJan 18
@geerlingguy  šŸ˜ šŸ˜˜
Show threadJon PearseJan 18

@geerlingguy I have a sneaky suspicion my setup might have been the result of watching your DeskPi video last year.

Very much a work in progress, current project is designing a custom mount for the ThinkCentre; which will, of course, be open-sourced when Iā€™m done + have worked out the gremlinsā€¦ also really need to get around to upgrading + properly mounting the Pi 3B thatā€™s been rather unceremoniously stuffed on a shelf.

Show threadJon PearseJan 18
@geerlingguy (worth noting that the opening on the back of this Digitus rack is big enough to mount a 10.5ā€ PDU, as long as youā€™re willing to either DIY some mounting holes, orā€”like meā€”have a roll of handy VHBā€¦)
Show threadJeff GeerlingJan 18
@jonpearse VHB solves many things
Show threadHenryJan 18

@geerlingguy We have this: which is the patch panel for the house, cable modem on top, an OPNsense firewall and then Digitus unmanaged switch, and a bird's nest of cables. I've been failing to find 10" equipment to make it neater, but your video has been a great help, thank you.

Also Mikrotik recently released this: https://mikrotik.com/product/css318_16g_2s_in which is a 16 port managed switch that fits in 10", and means I could finally implement VLANS and more segmentation.

CSS318-16G-2S+IN | MikroTik

With 16 Gigabit Ethernet ports and 2 SFP+ 10G uplink ports, you get all the connectivity you need without unnecessary bulk. Stack two units side by side in a single 1U rack space for even greater flexibility and scalability.

Show threadJim LauJan 20
@geerlingguy This is the network rack I printed and assembled after watching 10ā€ rack videos. #minilab
Show threadJeff GeerlingJan 20
@jimlau blinkenlights!
Show threadSaustrupJan 20
@geerlingguy Daaaamn those are just so cute! :D
Show threadSamuel HautamƤkiJan 17

@geerlingguy
Excited to see what types of mini racks people make and how the landscape of 10" racks will be in the future.

#givemeteninches

Show threadRedTechEngineerJan 19
@geerlingguy I like the hashtag #givemeteninches
Show threadyetztJan 17
@geerlingguy looks like you went full xzibit and put a mini rack in your mini rack.
Show threadNilsJan 17
@geerlingguy Interesting/typical.. The various event/music gear that is 'half rack' is often marketed as 9.5" here. https://www.thomann.de/intl/flyht_pro_stage_rack_95_6u_double_door.htm
Show threadIan Douglas ScottJan 17

@geerlingguy I was just thinking (again) that I'd like something like this, and was wondering if there's a smaller standard for racks.

Outside homelab stuff, even normal home users might have a cluttered mess of electronics in their home with a power bar, modem, WiFi router, smart home bridge, and whatever, and could benefit from something like this.

Show threadPocket_ManJan 17
@geerlingguy it should be called the Rack Mini!
Show threadLegoraftJan 17
@geerlingguy It would be awesome to see a 'real' 10" pc case, would love to rig up my homelab stuff and maybe even my pc in the future
Show threadJeff GeerlingJan 17
@legoraft MyElectronics makes a decent one if you can run Mini ITX off PicoPSU; depending on your needs it may work out!
Show threadLegoraftJan 17
@geerlingguy That looks quite good! A small 120W minecraft server could work. Maybe even usb-c pd in the future for this?
Show threadMiles GoodhewJan 18
@geerlingguy Dang you, @geerlingguy! - now I know about 10" racks, I'm compelled to buy one. At least I'll have somewhere sane to zip-tie my Dell micro desktop server, rather than living under a pile of dust-bunnies behind my monitor. Can't wait for a decent 10" UPS too!
Show threadHannes DeekenJan 18

@geerlingguy

Do you know the IKEA LACK table?
It is a very cheap table with 19" of distance between the legs, creating the opportunity for...

... the LACK rack:

https://bakerstreetforensics.com/2022/02/28/diy-home-network-rack-the-lack-rack/

DIY Home Network Rack ā€“ the Lack Rack

View the Lack Rack Series Iā€™ve got an abundance of equipment in my home office/lab. Iā€™d been contemplating doing a rack setup for a while but all of the options I was looking at were abā€¦

Baker Street Forensics