StarTech RACK-24U-20-WALL-OA Wall-Mount Open-Frame Rack Review

The RACK-24U-20-WALL-OA is a 2-post, open-frame, wall-mount rack. Two vertical posts carry the 19-inch rails, and front and rear horizontal brackets cantilever the whole frame off the wall. Everything you hang is supported by the front rails, which is fine for switches, patch panels, PDUs, shelves and shallow 1U gear with front mounting ears. It is not a rack for deep servers on slide rails, because there are no rear vertical rails to carry the back of a chassis.

The mounting depth range for this frame is 12 to 20 inches. That figure tells you what the rack is built for: network gear, not a full-depth server.

What open frame means in practice

You get full access to cabling front and back, unrestricted airflow and nothing between you and the gear. You also get no noise containment, no dust protection and no lock. If the rack shares a room with people or sits in a garage, that trade-off is the one to weigh before you drill.

How much room does 24U take?

24U is 24 units of 1.75 inches each, or 42 inches of usable rail space, in a frame that stands 46.2 inches tall. That suits a full wiring closet, an AV or network headend, or a small-office IDF. A single switch and a patch panel do not need it, and the height has to clear your ceiling, soffit and ducts.

Buyers on Amazon most often praise the sturdiness, and the spec sheet backs that up: the vertical rails are 0.08 in (2.0 mm) SPCC cold-rolled steel with a G-profile, rated for 200 lb. Assembly is the next most-praised trait. The rack ships flat-packed in ISTA-6 certified packaging with comprehensive instructions, and buyers describe putting it together as straightforward.

The adjustable depth is a strength buyers single out. The frame moves from 12 to 20 inches in 1-inch steps, so you can set it shallow or deep.

Hardware in the box

The box holds 96 M6 cage nuts, 96 M6 cage screws and 96 plastic washers, enough to fill all 24U, plus the M5 assembly screws, M8 bolts and #8 washers. Buyers on Amazon are divided on the mounting hardware, but many praise the included cage nuts and screws.

Wall pattern and standards

Eight wall-mounting holes are spaced 12 inches and 16 inches on center, and the 16-inch spacing lines up with standard US stud bays. The square-hole rails are EIA/ECA-310 compliant, so any standard 19-inch gear fits. The warranty runs 5 years, with free lifetime 24/5 North America-based multilingual technical support behind it.

One buyer on Amazon reports a successful install on a plywood backboard, and another notes that it works well for a home network setup with a NAS, a firewall and a cell booster.

The front-mounted ears carry the load, so deep servers on slide rails are out. Shallow chassis with front ears only, mounted low, are the realistic ceiling. The wall fasteners are also not in the box: the M8 bolts and washers are there, but the hardware that goes into your wall is your responsibility, and the manufacturer says to use appropriate hardware.

The wall itself has to carry far more than the rack. The assembly guide requires the wall to support four times the loaded weight, which is roughly 800 lb at a full 200 lb load. That is a structural requirement, not a suggestion, and drywall-only anchors do not meet it.

Depth is a pre-mount decision

The frame weighs 42 lb and is a wide, tall, open shape, so plan on two people or a temporary support for the lift.

What the open frame does not give you

There is no noise damping, no dust protection and no lock.

Buyers on Amazon are divided on the mounting hardware: some praise the included cage nuts and screws, others report missing hardware.

The 46.2-inch height is the assembled height of the rack. The 20-inch depth is the frame alone. The 200 lb rating covers everything you hang, so put the heaviest item low.

The carton holds the 24U 19-inch wall-mount network rack, front horizontal brackets, rear horizontal brackets and vertical brackets. The fastener bag carries M6 cage nuts, M6 cage screws, M5x12mm assembly screws, M8x16mm bolts and #8 flat washers.

The fasteners for your wall are not included.

The frame stands 46.2 inches tall, so measure floor-to-ceiling, soffit, duct and door clearance, and decide where the top of the rack sits so the top U stays reachable.

1. The eight wall holes sit at 12 and 16 inches on center, so the 16-inch pattern matches standard US stud bays.
2. Lift with two people. 42 lb of open steel frame is awkward as well as heavy.

Airflow and access are the open frame's strengths. Nothing blocks front-to-back airflow, and you can reach any cable at any time without opening a door. Cable management is on you: the frame gives you rails and open space, so plan for Velcro straps, a cable landing and rear clearance within the 12 to 20 inches of depth.

Noise is not contained. Dust protection is absent too, which matters in a garage, workshop or unfinished basement. There are no rear rails, so rear-mounted accessories and rear cable arms are not part of this design.

The 5-year warranty and free 24/5 support are the long-term safety net, and, along with the steel gauge, the load rating and the included hardware, they are part of what you pay for.

The other version of this wall-mount open frame rack is the 15U model, RK15WALLOA. It is the same 2-post, adjustable-depth design in a shorter frame: 30.4 inches tall against 46.2 inches, with the same 19.8-inch width and 20.1-inch depth. Its listed weight capacity is 198 pounds. Choose the 15U RK15WALLOA when your gear fits in 15U and you want the shorter frame on the wall; choose the 24U RACK-24U-20-WALL-OA when you need the full 24U of rail space.

• Pros: 0.08 in (2.0 mm) steel rails and a 200 lb capacity; flat-pack assembly buyers describe as easy; 12- to 20-inch adjustable depth; 96 cage nuts and screws included; 12- and 16-inch wall hole spacing for US studs; EIA/ECA-310 compliant rails; 5-year warranty and free lifetime support; open access and unrestricted airflow.
• Cons: 2-post design with no slide rails and no deep servers; wall fasteners not included; a 16-screw depth change that belongs before mounting; 42 lb and awkward to hang alone; mixed reports on the mounting hardware; no noise, dust or lock protection; U markings not guaranteed; not for sideways mounting.