In data centers, communication rooms, weak current rooms, offices, and even industrial control environments, wall network cabinets serve as critical physical infrastructure for carrying core network equipment, providing a safe, clean, and manageable operating environment for various electronic devices. Its compact design and flexible installation method are particularly suitable for space constrained or distributed deployment scenarios.
Core definition of wall mounted network cabinet
Wall mounted network cabinet is a type of cabinet designed specifically for wall mounted installation. Its main function is to centrally install, protect, and manage network equipment (such as switches, routers, servers, patch panels, fiber terminal boxes, UPS, PDU, etc.), and provide physical security protection, cable management, heat dissipation support, and electromagnetic shielding (for some models). Different from floor standing cabinets, it does not occupy ground space and has flexible installation height.
Core design elements and functional characteristics
A well-designed wall mounted network cabinet typically has the following key characteristics:
Durable and reliable structure:
High quality materials: The main structure is usually made of cold-rolled steel plate (SPCC/SECC) or aluminum alloy, and the surface is treated with acid pickling, phosphating, electrostatic spraying, etc., which has good anti rust and anti-corrosion capabilities.
Load bearing design: Based on the characteristics of wall mounting, strengthen the backboard structure and installation point design to ensure safe bearing of the total weight of fully equipped equipment. Clearly indicating the maximum load-bearing capacity is a basic requirement.
Installation flexibility: Provides multiple installation options (such as horizontal installation, vertical installation), equipped with universal installation holes or brackets, suitable for different wall structures (solid walls, gypsum board walls require special reinforcement).
Efficient heat dissipation management:
Ventilation design: The front door usually adopts a mesh door or strip ventilation door with a high opening rate (60% -80%), and the rear door and side panel also have ventilation holes, forming a heat dissipation channel for front/rear air or side/upper air.
Fan support: Reserved fan installation position (top or rear), optional installation of cooling fan to enhance air convection, especially suitable for high-density device deployment or high temperature environment.
The impact of cable management on airflow: The design needs to consider avoiding cable blockage of the main air duct.
Professional cable management:
Inlet/outlet: Removable knock off holes (circular or square) are provided at the top, bottom, or side panel to facilitate cable entry and exit. The edges of the holes are smooth to protect the cables.
Cable management device: equipped with cable management slots, cable management rings, cable tie plates, vertical cable management racks, etc. inside the cabinet, to achieve the separation, fixation, and neat layout of power lines, network cables, and optical fibers.
Front and rear space planning: The design needs to consider the space for equipment front and rear operation and maintenance (although compact, necessary) and the requirements for cable bending radius.
Convenient access and security:
Transparent front door (common): Tempered glass or high-strength plastic transparent front door, which facilitates observation of equipment operation status (such as indicator lights) without opening the cabinet.
Hinge design: The door hinge should be stable and durable, supporting door leaf opening at 180 degrees or greater, making it convenient for equipment installation and maintenance. Some models support quick disassembly of door leaves.
Standardized installation space:
U-measurement: The height is measured in standard “U” units (1U=44.45mm), such as 6U, 9U, 12U, 15U, 18U, 22U, 27U, etc., and is compatible with standard 19 inch (482.6mm) rack mounted equipment.
Square hole/circular hole installation column: The front and rear columns usually use universal installation hole types compatible with industry standards (square holes with cage nuts or circular holes with screws), with adjustable depth (commonly 300mm, 450mm, 600mm).
Grounding and shielding (partial requirements):
Provide standard grounding terminals to ensure good grounding of the cabinet, ensuring equipment and personnel safety.
In some scenarios with high requirements for electromagnetic interference (EMI), the cabinet needs to have electromagnetic shielding function (special materials and structural design).
Core application scenarios
Wall mounted network cabinets are widely used in places where centralized deployment of network equipment is required and space is limited
Telecommunications access room/weak current room: Deploy floor switches, distribution frames, and fiber optic cable terminal equipment.
Small and medium-sized enterprise offices/branch offices: centralized placement of core network equipment (routers, firewalls, switches), small servers NAS、UPS。
Retail stores/chain stores: Install POS system backend equipment and network switching devices.
Educational institutions (classrooms, laboratories, libraries): Manage local network equipment and wireless controllers.
Medical facilities (nurse stations, consultation rooms, equipment rooms): Install medical equipment gateways and network switches.
Security monitoring center: Install network video recorders (NVRs), network switches, and video management servers.
Industrial environment (control room, on-site cabinet room): protect industrial Ethernet switches, controllers, communication gateways (considering industrial grade requirements such as dust prevention, temperature and humidity).
Hotel guest room floor/front desk: Manage guest network equipment.
Key considerations for choosing wall mounted network cabinets
Size specifications (core):
Height (U count): Determine based on the number of devices to be installed and the total height (U count), and reserve 20% -30% expansion space.
Depth: Ensure that the length is greater than the deepest device (including cable plugs) installed, and leave room for operation and maintenance (at least 50-100mm margin). Common depths: 300mm (shallow, suitable for patch panels and small switches), 450mm (commonly used), 600mm (suitable for deeper equipment and servers).
Width: The standard width of 19 inches (482.6mm) is the mainstream.
Load bearing capacity and installation method:
Maximum load-bearing capacity: It must be greater than the total weight of all equipment (including the weight of the cabinet) and take into account a safety factor (usually 1.5 times or more). Clearly inquire about the load-bearing indicators and corresponding installation requirements.
Wall adaptability: Confirm the type of wall (concrete, brick wall, gypsum board wall, light steel keel wall) and select the matching installation kit (expansion bolts, through wall bolts, gypsum board specific anchor bolts, etc.).
Heat dissipation requirements:
Equipment power consumption and heat generation: estimate the total power consumption and heat generation of the equipment. High power devices should be selected with good ventilation or models that support fans, and forced cooling should be used if necessary.
Door type:
Mesh door: Best heat dissipation, relatively low safety (visible internal equipment).
Glass door: Good heat dissipation (side or up and down ventilation), easy to observe, moderate safety.
Solid door: highest safety, worst heat dissipation, only suitable for extremely low heat generation or special safety requirements scenarios (requiring additional heat dissipation measures).
Cable management capability:
Evaluate whether the number and location of incoming/outgoing holes meet the requirements.
Check if the internal wiring devices (slots, rings, frames) are complete and easy to use.
Security level:
Select appropriate locks (single lock, double lock, higher security level lock) based on equipment value and requirements for physical security.
Standards and certifications:
Compliance with relevant industry standards (such as IEC 60297, EIA-310-D) is a basic requirement. Safety certification (such as CE, UL) is a guarantee of product quality.
Summary of Advantages
Save valuable floor space: Make full use of the vertical space on the wall, especially suitable for small areas.
Centralized device protection: provides physical protection (dust, touch, accidental damage) and a certain degree of security protection (unauthorized access) for expensive and critical network devices.
Neat and standardized wiring: Achieve centralized management and orderly placement of cables, improve aesthetics, reduce failure rates, and facilitate maintenance.
Improve system reliability: reduce equipment failures caused by environmental and human factors, and ensure stable network operation.
Modularity and Scalability: The standard 19 inch design facilitates the addition, removal, and replacement of devices, and supports future expansion.
Professional image: reflects the standardization and professionalism of IT infrastructure management.
Note: As a manufacturer specializing in metal structure solutions, Gometal’s product line typically includes wall mounted network cabinets that meet various spatial and load-bearing requirements. The design and manufacturing of such products strictly follow industry standards, focusing on structural strength, heat dissipation efficiency, and installation convenience, committed to providing a safe and reliable operating environment for users’ network core equipment.
