Organizing Computer Gear Clutter?

slashyslashy asks: "At first I had only a PC and a printer. Now the home network setup has grown to consist of many units: linksys router, ASDL modem, Vonage VOIP terminal, linksys NSLU2 network storage device, and couple of external harddrives. Powering all these units is done with three Belkin 6-Outlet Surge Protectors all connected to 1 wall outlet. Currently all of these units are stacked under the table, causing their wires and cables criss-cross each other. Troubleshooting any single unit is a mess. How do other Slashdot readers organize their home computer gear? Any ideas on cheap solutions ($100) to manage this clutter?"

Comments

Re:My solution

[Shag]

Yeah, wire shelving is pretty cool. Last time my wife was away at college, she had some like this, and it's now been integrated into our bedroom. It's rated for some obscene amount of weight per shelf, and of course since the shelves aren't solid cables can be run anywhere, there's good airflow, etc.

As far as the sheer quantity of stuff... ours is kind of distributed. The DSL modem, switch/wireless router, VOIP box, etc. live by a phone line demarc I've set up in the center of the basement, with one Linux box down there as a "server" of sorts. Then there are a couple laptops that roam around on wireless, and my kid's computer is connected via a 50' cat5 cable.

At the shelf that serves as my "desk" I've got a 7-space plug strip, which typically has three to six spaces open.