Plan the run. Read the signal. Catch the conflict.

Build a useful plan in four moves

1. Select Add gear, search the library, and add a device.
2. On the Map, select one port and then the port where the run lands.
3. Choose the cable standard, length, status, and optional label.
4. Open Issues to resolve connector, length, power, and capacity conflicts.

Map for topology. Data for precision.

Map is the spatial planning surface. Drag empty space to pan, use the zoom controls or wheel to zoom, and select Fit to frame the plan. Use Move to arrange items, Select for multi-selection, Note for annotations, and Rack for rack outlines.

Data exposes devices, connections, and issues as editable rows. Filters narrow the current list without changing the plan.

The application chrome can use a light or dark host theme. The planning canvas always remains Rack Ink #070A0E. This fixed field preserves the specified contrast and meaning of every cable hue.

Place gear, then describe the load

The Gear library is searchable by name, model, or UPC. Adding an item creates a plan-owned snapshot of its device definition, so later library changes do not silently rewrite an existing plan.

Select a device to edit its name and planning values. Depending on the device, these include power draw, PoE budget, circuit capacity, a live telemetry key, and port mappings. Capacity badges on the map show planned values until live measurements are available.

Barcode workflow

Select Scan to use a camera or enter a code manually. Map a new code to a library device once; RackWire retains that mapping with the plan.

Land each run deliberately

Select a source port and a destination port. RackWire opens the cable editor after the second endpoint is chosen. Set the standard and length, mark the run Planned or Installed, and add a label or callout where useful.

An unconnected endpoint is intentionally bright yellow. It is not an error color and it is never reused for a cable domain.

Color states what a run carries

Signal colors are fixed brand literals. A host theme may repaint controls and panels, but must never remap these meanings.

Resolve the warning, then verify the field

RackWire checks connector compatibility, negotiated link limits, cable length, PoE delivery and device budget, AC continuous load at an 80% planning derate, adapter loss, uplink oversubscription, missing power feeds, and double-landed ports.

Issue severity describes the plan model. It does not certify a physical installation. Correct the plan, then validate ratings and measurements against manufacturer and site documentation.

Edit and audit at row level

Switch between Devices, Connections, and Issues. Use the filters to focus on a domain or installation state. Connection rows expose endpoints, cable standard, length, labels, status, and live values when present.

CSV export is useful for a punch list or spreadsheet review. CSV import updates supported tabular fields; JSON is the complete RackWire plan interchange format.

Measurements overlay the plan

Select Live and choose an available source. The built-in simulator is suitable for exercising the interface. HTTP polling and WebSocket sources require a compatible telemetry endpoint.

Live values are labeled as live and can show reachability, negotiated rate, throughput, errors, delivered PoE, device load, temperature, and CPU. Missing telemetry remains distinct from a zero measurement.

Autosave locally; export intentionally

The browser’s local storage is the standalone source of truth and is updated as the plan changes. Menu → Export plan (JSON) creates a portable backup; Import plan (JSON) replaces the current working plan with a RackWire export.

Snapshots preserve named restore points in the browser. When a compatible same-origin plan service is present, RackWire can also synchronize plans and versions through that integration.

Common shortcuts

Works from a file and without a CDN

Open index.html directly for standalone use. The application, React runtime, and brand assets are stored in the repository, so core planning works offline. Camera access and live network sources remain subject to browser security and origin rules.

For a same-origin iframe integration, see the RackWire integration contract. Runtime provenance and the verification procedure are documented in Support Runtime.