Cable Management To Defeat Clutter?

igny writes "I have just recently cleaned up my home office, reducing the clutter, but I could not come up with a neat solution to my cable problem. I believe my cable usage is even below average for a slashdotter, but still I have three computers with a bunch of ethernet and power cables, two cellphones, video and photo cables, with several proprietary chargers/AC adapters, printer, two NASes with a couple of external drives, phone, audio system, routers/switches, modem ... Everything requires cables of different kinds. I believe that AC adapters still draw some power even with no device hooked to it. So I organized my power cables by usage with several power strips to turn off adapters which I use less frequently. I am asking for advice from experienced slashdotters. How do you cope with your cable problem? Do you use dedicated tables, shelves, armoire for the cables? I am still looking for a neat, efficient, and safe (I have small kids) solution."

Plastic or Velcro zip ties

[mouseblue]

Velcro ones might lose grip after a while but those worked for me. Or cheap garbage bag twist ties are ok. You can usually collect them from bagged loaves of bread.

What are you trying to accomplish?

[caffiend666]

What are you trying to accomplish? If you want neat and pretty, that needs one type of thing. If you are trying to organize the cables behind the computer, that needs another type of thing. If you are only trying to neaten the cables between computers, that needs another. You building a rack-room or want something professional? My only concern was getting in-between device cables off of the floor and above doors. Went to home depot, bought 1.5 inch PVC Pipe mounting clasps (used to hold pipes to walls), and suspended them 8 inches from the ceiling. Then ran the cables through the clasp. To manage power-cables behind desk, I strap-tied the power cables to the desk, leaving other ethernet/keyboard cables which will move around loose. If you want something to impress girls, don't think having neat cables counts. Most women that have seen the cables dangling from my walls are more than a little worried.... Keep meaning to string LED lights along them to make them look less disturbing.

Re:Confused

[Omniscient Lurker]

Even one computer has lots of cables.

One Computer:

1. Computer Tower Power Cable
2. Monitor Power Cable
3. Monitor VGA Cable
4. Keyboard Cable
5. Mouse Cable

Extras for the computer that I have

1. Speaker Cable, which splits into 2)
2. USB Hub Cable (I have 2 usb ports, 1 in front 1 in back)
3. USB Hub Power Cable
4. Printer Power Cable
5. Printer USB cable
6. Ethernet Cable
7. External Harddrive USB cable
8. External Harddrive Power Cable

Then don't forget the misc. cables.

1. Lamp Power Cable
2. Telephone Cable Cable
3. Camera Charger Cable
4. Camera USB Cable
5. Phone Charger Cable

And none of these are the perfect length so I end up have bunched up sections to take up the slack.

Re:Hooks under the desk and velcro ties

[linzeal]

I return hardware that has zip ties on it and we specifically tell suppliers this before any contracts along with a few dozen other stipulations. To me it is too dangerous to have deployed when I can't trust the damn techs not to take out their 30 dollar Gerber knife and ruin thousands of dollars of equipment by nicking a live wire.

Flexibility vs neatness

[spire3661]

Ive found there is no real solution in a home environment for me. My office is too much of a lab to be able to contain the cable beast, and my desk configuration is in a constant state of flux. Working on others computers, working new components into the A/V rack, dragging old consoles out, all kinds of stuff. I COULD get a nice test bench/desk with cable routing etc., but its expensive and not really 'home-like'. Besides that it took me years to wire it up the way it is now, and EVERY TIME i introduce cable ties into the works, I have to later remove it. I have put a lot of thought into this over time and realized that any solution I came up with would have more drawbacks then I would like. ANy 'design' would be hard pressed to be cost-efficient, neat and flexible. Its a 'choose only two' type situation.

Re:Wax string

[Lumpy]

I did that when I worked at comcast, well actually in my last 2 weeks of employment as a present to my replacement. All the server room looked fabulous.

I still get hate emails from the guys there from that.

"I had to replace the backup SQL server, spent 30 minutes cutting your DAMNED waxed string."

Makes me smile every month or two :-) What's better is that before I left one of the suits saw it and mentioned "that's how a server room should look!"

Ahh the perfect evil prank to pull before you leave :)

Re:Belink Conceal or the like

[unitron]

Whether something from Belkin is good or bad seems to depend a lot on what it is and who makes it for them.

Re:Belink Conceal or the like

[Geezer Al]

Seriously a good idea. I got a bunch of these http://www.belkin.com/surgeprotection/concealed/ [belkin.com]

They are great, I have just one box on the floor under my desk, easy to sweep around, doesn't collect dust and looks tidy.

Looks good, but I use 2 UPS systems to protect my routers, computer, and monitor. I wish that the UPS people would have a solution that looks like the Belkin.

Re:Belink Conceal or the like

[Anonymous Coward]

I have something very similar, but much cheaper. It's called a fire hazard.

Re:Belink Conceal or the like

[Ihmhi]

Even if that's true, when you've come across as many bad Belkin devices as I have (through customers who wonder why their NIC doesn't work, etc.), you tend to lose faith in recommending the brand name.

Re:Belink Conceal or the like

[Anonymous Coward]

We used these at the Apple store where I worked and never had any issues. Other than people unplugging them incorrectly and bending the prongs.

Re:Hide them all

[PitaBred]

Seconded. OP stated that it's his home office... what's wrong with closing the door when you're not in there? I've got a 6 month old who's starting to get pretty mobile, and I'm a firm believer in corrective action. Kids aren't stupid. Let them know what's acceptable, what's not, praise them when they do something acceptable, scold them when they do something that isn't, and they get it pretty quickly.

Re:Hide them all

[tedgyz]

Beware - if you fight her nesting instincts too much, that baby you made may be the last time you ever get laid.

Re:Learn to Braid

[Ronin X]

If you have a kid playing with scissors near live power cables, you have a bigger problem than cable management. Like Junior Flambé. Go take a parenting course or something.