The mobile homelab that fits in my carry-on

I needed to build a 'portable homelab' I could take with me up to VCF Midwest. I wanted 5G Internet so I could have a connection even if I don't have an upstream WAN. I wanted an option to power it off battery so I could move it if needed—and so I can filter whatever power I get on the convention floor. And I wanted it to fit in a carry-on, since I want to pack it and take it with me no matter how I get there (it fits nicely in a standard carry-on in the overhead bin):

Mini rack parts (from Micro Center):

- [UniFi Cloud Gateway Fiber](https://www.microcenter.com/product/695361/ubiquiti-cloud-gateway-fiber)
- [UniFi Flex 2.5G PoE](https://www.microcenter.com/product/695379/ubiquiti-flex-25g-poe-8-port-poe-compliant-managed-network-switch-(psu-not-included))
- [Ubiquiti 210 Watt AC Power Adapter for PoE Switch](https://www.microcenter.com/product/697310/ubiquiti-210-watt-ac-power-adapter-for-poe-switch)
- [UniFi 5G Backup](https://www.microcenter.com/product/712077/ubiquiti-unifi-5g-backup)
- [U7 Lite](https://www.microcenter.com/product/692982/ubiquiti-unifi-u7-lite-compact-ceiling-mounted-wifi-7-access-point)
- [APC UPS BE600M1](https://www.microcenter.com/product/647002/apc-battery-backup-and-surge-protector-ups-(be600m1))

Parts I bought on Amazon (these links are affiliate links):

- [DeskPi RackMate TT](https://amzn.to/4cgPkrL)
- [2' Twinax DAC (for 10Gbps Uplink)](https://amzn.to/4y6Y9Nn)

3D Printed Parts I used in the rack:

- [Cloud Gateway Fiber 10" Rackmount](https://www.printables.com/model/1235928-unifi-ucg-fiber-10-inch-rack-mount)
- [Cloud Gateway Fiber M.2 SSD Tray:](https://www.printables.com/model/1365302-m2-ssd-tray-for-unifi-cloud-gateway-fiber)
- [Flex 2.5G 8 PoE 10" Rackmount](https://makerworld.com/en/models/2037862-unifi-flex-2-5g-8-poe-10-inch-rack-mount)
- [U7 Lite 10" Rackmount](https://cults3d.com/en/3d-model/gadget/unifi-u7-lite-10-rack-mount-oounnameoo)
- [Ubiquiti 210W Power Supply Rackmount](https://www.printables.com/model/1816999-unifi-210w-ac-power-adapter-mini-rackmount)

WiFi AP placement isn't ideal in all situations, but has worked in my testing around my studio. The antenna radiation pattern is all 'up' directed here, so if you need to put this box somewhere high up, maybe pull the AP out and point it downward or outward toward where you need reception.

I have a blog post and video up featuring this rack build:

- Blog post: [Building a mini Homelab that fits in my carry-on](https://www.jeffgeerling.com/blog/2026/mini-homelab-network-fits-in-carry-on/)
- Video: [Unplug it. Move it. It never goes down.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qclCCQeg-RQ)

The issue documents a portable homelab build and links to a blog post and video, but it does not name a repository file, test, or requested change. First confirm whether this is intended as project documentation or a showcase entry, then identify the repository location and maintainer-defined completion criteria.

Written by the indexing model from the issue text.