5-Node Wall-Mounted Proxmox Cluster

homelabproxmoxnetworkinghardware working

4/1/2026

Tools: Phillips screwdriver, drill, 3D printer, zip ties, Ethernet crimper

Parts: HP EliteDesk G4 Mini — Intel Core i5-8500T (x4), Lenovo ThinkCentre M720Q Tiny (x1), 3D-printed M.2 A+E to 2.5GbE NIC bracket (x5), 3D-printed 2.5-inch SSD caddy for HP EliteDesk (x4), SSD cables for HP caddies (x5), 256 GB NVMe SSD (boot, multiple), 512 GB NVMe SSD (pve apps node), 1 TB NVMe ZFS datastore (pve1 PBS node), TP-Link SG2218 managed switch, TP-Link C64 (configured as AP), MikroTik hEX S 2025

Time spent: ~6 hours

Cost: ~25K PHP for nodes + networking gear

Context

I wanted a compact, always-on virtualization lab for running services locally and learning infrastructure hands-on, without the footprint of a full rack. The idea was to run multiple Proxmox VE nodes on small-form-factor PCs, wall-mount everything to save desk space, and keep the entire stack on a dedicated management VLAN with VLAN-aware bridges for service segmentation.

Plan

• Source five inexpensive mini PCs with built-in 1GbE NICs (used HP EliteDesk G4 Minis and one Lenovo M720Q Tiny)
• Install 3D-printed M.2 A+E to 2.5GbE NIC brackets to prepare for future upgrade
• Install Proxmox VE on each node and assign clear roles (apps, backups, DNS cores, spare)
• Add 3D-printed 2.5-inch SSD caddies to the HP units for extra local storage
• Mount all compute nodes and networking gear directly to the wall
• Connect the cluster through a TP-Link SG2218 managed switch and a MikroTik hEX S 2025 router, with a TP-Link C64 handling wireless access
• Keep management on one VLAN (VLAN1) and tag application traffic to VLAN30

Execution

Phase 1 — Hardware and sourcing

• Bought four HP EliteDesk G4 Mini PCs and one Lenovo M720Q Tiny, most around 5,000 PHP each.
• Sourced 3D-printed wall-mount brackets, M.2 A+E to 2.5GbE NIC brackets, and 2.5-inch SSD caddies from Printables.
• Bought matching SSD cables for the HP caddies.

Phase 2 — Node roles and storage

Phase 3 — Networking and wall mount

• Mounted all five nodes, the TP-Link SG2218, the MikroTik hEX S 2025, and the TP-Link C64 access point directly to the wall.
• Ran patch cables between nodes and the switch; bundled with zip ties.
• Configured VLAN-aware bridges on each node. Management stays on VLAN10; services like apps are tagged to VLAN30.
• Originally clustered all five nodes under Proxmox VE, but later reverted to standalone since clustering did not match my actual use case.

Result

• All nodes boot and run Proxmox VE reliably.
• Apps on the pve node (cf-tun, copyparty, tailscale, crm1, crm2) are reachable and stable.
• pve1 runs PBS and backs up VMs to its local ZFS datastore.
• pve2 and pve3 run Technitium DNS as redundant core resolvers.
• pve4 is idle and reserved for future labs; planned upgrade to 32 GB RAM and an extra 1 TB SSD.
• Network segmentation via VLAN-aware bridges works as intended.

Lessons

• Used mini PCs are cheap lab compute, but always verify RAM slots and NVMe storage options before buying.
• Clustering is not mandatory; standalone nodes are simpler to manage if you do not need live migration or shared storage.
• Wall mounting saves floor space, but plan cable lengths and power brick placement before drilling. Power bricks are stuck to the wall with Command strips / velcro mounting.
• Two-part wall mounts (wall plate + PC bracket) let you detach nodes easily for maintenance. The HPs slot onto VESA-mounted brackets; the Lenovo M720Q needed a different wall holder since it lacks VESA holes.
• 3D-printed brackets and caddies work well for mini PCs with non-standard mounting points, but PETG is sturdier than PLA for long-term heat exposure.