Hey all,
I’m starting to build out my first proper home network rack and looking for some advice before I start buying gear.
I recently got this rack for free from work, so I’m trying to build around it:
https://www.lonestarracks.com/5u-low-profile-vertical-wall-mount-rack.html
It’s a 5U vertical wall-mount rack, so space and depth are definitely constraints.
Right now I’m running an old PC with Proxmox for VMs and containers, and I just got a public IP from my ISP. I’m planning to run Ethernet drops throughout the house and want to make sure everything I build from here is secure and properly segmented (VLANs, firewall, etc.). Long term, this will be a mix of homelab, learning environment, and a reliable home network.
For gear, I’m leaning toward Ubiquiti since I deploy it at work and like the interface. My current thought is a UniFi Dream Machine Pro as the gateway, then adding a PoE switch and a couple APs (probably U6 Pro or similar). From what I understand, the UDM Pro would handle routing, firewall, and the controller, but I’d still need separate APs and likely a switch.
I’m mainly trying to figure out if UniFi is still the best move here given the size and limitations of this rack, or if there are better options in terms of performance, flexibility, or cost.
Alternatives I’ve been considering are MikroTik (RB5009 with a CRS switch and APs), or going the pfSense/OPNsense route with a dedicated box plus a managed switch and APs. I’m open to other ecosystems as well if there’s something I’m overlooking.
My main priorities are security (especially now that I have a public IP), a clean setup that actually fits well in a vertical rack, and something that’s reliable for daily use but still gives me room to learn and go deeper.
For context, I work in IT/VoIP and I’m comfortable with VLANs, provisioning, and general troubleshooting, but this is my first full home rack and network build.
Curious what you’d build in this situation, especially with a rack like this, and any pros/cons between UniFi, MikroTik, or pfSense setups. Also open to anything I might be missing.