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 Cable management guide

 

Pictures from my actual setup

 

Things you might want to buy (read the entire guide before ordering).

 

 

 

Steps to cable manage your  setup

 

All the steps will be demonstrated with illustrations, but you can see all of these steps applied in the beginning pictures I took of my setup.

The steps are sometimes incremental, so often the previous step’s “do” is the current step’s “don’t”.

 

Illustration map in case the illustrations are not decipherable.

        

Go wireless if possible

 

Less wires - Less to manage.

Speakers, mice, keyboards, headphones etc.

If latency is important sometimes and not in other times - look for products with detachable cables.

 

 

Removing things off the desk

 

Any electronic device that we don’t need to physically interface with can be taken off the desk. PC (power buttons can be extended), UPS, router, bass speaker etc.

 

Removing cables off the desk

 

Cables should not traverse the desk from side to side, only backwards.

 

 

Any electronic device on the desk that we don’t need to interface with often, can be pushed to the back edge of the desk.

 

Speakers, Hard-drives, PC, monitors etc.

 

 

Use velcro to stick devices under the desk as well as routing their cables

 

I use this for the USB hub and a small hard-drive.

I strongly recommend against using cable clips with adhesive to route the cable under the desk.

I much prefer using velcro. You can then wrap the cable with velcro and stick them that way. You can also use the cable clips if you remove their double sided tape and replace it with velcro.

I don't like the cable clips adhesive because if you decide to change something, removing it off the desk leaves a layer of glue and foam.

Velcro on the other hand there's no reason to remove. Even you decide not to use it or route a different way, just add more velcro.

The entire underside of my desk can be covered with velcro for all I care.

 

The illustration purposely assumes that the cable, for whatever reason, can't go all the way through the channel, just to illustrate that the method still works.

 

 

Use a channel/rack/raceway under/behind your desk for cables to go through

 

I personally use a hardware store bought 6cmX6cm white plastic cable raceway which I drilled a bunch of holes into.

I only did it because my desk has a backboard so a signum rack or anything similar won't work.

 

This method will require longer travel distance for the cables so purchase cables and extension cords accordingly.

        

 

Tie the excess cable neatly inside the rack with the reusable velcro strips

 

 

Use cable sleeves and straps to hold cables together

 

 

You can combine cables from multiple devices into one sleeve

 

Even longer cables are required.

 

 

Use cable boxes for power strips (if you need them on the floor and not in the rack/channel)

 

 

Use velcro strip with adhesive for power bricks

 

Do this if they don't fit inside the cable channel and don't reach the ground. If they reach the ground just stick them in a cable box.

 

 

Turn the devices' back panels away from you

It'll look less messy.

I can't apply this step in my own setup partially because of the backboard but also the leg room it'll take away.

It makes my floor look that much messier because of this.

 

 

Cable management for monitor cables.

 

Some arms come with a built-in solution. Like a plastic ring that holds the cables up close to the arm.

If they don't, you can wrap the cables with the double sided velcro tape to attach it to the arm.