Exploring Excalidraw for My Homelab Network Design

Introduction

As I embarked on mapping out my homelab network, I needed a tool that was both intuitive and powerful. That’s when I discovered Excalidraw, an open-source, browser-based whiteboard known for its simplicity and flexibility. Unlike traditional diagramming tools, Excalidraw allows for freehand-style sketches, making technical diagrams feel more approachable and natural. In this post, I’ll share my journey using Excalidraw to design my home lab network and why I even decided to self-host it.

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Getting Started with Excalidraw

My first impression of Excalidraw was how minimalist yet effective the interface is. There’s no overwhelming set of menus or a steep learning curve—just a simple toolbar with essential drawing tools. I started by experimenting with:

• Basic shapes: Representing different devices like routers, switches, and servers.
• Connectors: To visualize network paths and logical links.
• Text labels: To name devices, VLANs, and services.
• Hand-drawn mode: For a more natural, whiteboard-like experience.

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Using Ready-Made Shapes from Excalidraw Libraries

One of Excalidraw’s best features is the ability to import ready-made shapes and icons from the Excalidraw Libraries. These libraries provide pre-designed elements for various use cases, including networking, server racks, UI elements, and more.

How to Add Shapes from Excalidraw Libraries:

1. Open Excalidraw and click on the Library icon.
2. Browse or search for pre-built libraries at Excalidraw Libraries.
3. Click Add to Library to import the desired shapes.
4. Drag and drop them into your diagram effortlessly.

This feature saved me a lot of time when designing my home lab network. I could quickly add network symbols, server racks, and firewall icons without manually drawing them.

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My Homelab Network Design

After getting comfortable, I started designing my homelab network. Here’s what my network consists of:

Core Components

• Firewall (Ubiquiti): Securing my home network.
• Modem (WAN): Connecting to my ISP.
• Network Switch: Managing wired connections.
• NAS Storage: For backups and media storage.
• Homelab Server: Running Proxmox, Docker containers, and self-hosted services.
• DVR System: Recording security camera footage.
• WireGuard VPN: Secure remote access to my network.

To enhance clarity and readability in my diagram, I used:

• Icons and symbols: To differentiate components visually.
• Color coding: To separate VLANs and network segments.
• Path connectors: To map out traffic flow and dependencies.

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Self-Hosting Excalidraw

Excalidraw supports self-hosting via Docker, allowing me to run it securely within my network.

Steps to Self-Host Excalidraw

1. Set up Docker on my homelab server.
2. Run the Excalidraw container: docker run -d --name excalidraw -p 8080:80 excalidraw/excalidraw
3. Access Excalidraw locally at http://my-homelab-ip:8080.

This ensures my diagrams stay private while still benefiting from Excalidraw’s features.

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Integrating Excalidraw with Other Tools

Since I document my homelab setup extensively, I wanted an easy way to embed diagrams into my notes. Excalidraw integrates seamlessly with Obsidian, a markdown-based note-taking app.

How to Use Excalidraw with Obsidian

1. Install the Excalidraw Plugin in Obsidian.
2. Create an .excalidraw file within Obsidian.
3. Edit and save drawings directly in your notes.

This workflow makes it incredibly easy to keep track of changes and reference diagrams quickly.

For a detailed walkthrough, check out this Excalidraw Obsidian tutorial.

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Conclusion

Using Excalidraw for my home lab network design has been an eye-opening experience. The ability to freely sketch, customize, and even self-host makes it an ideal tool for home lab enthusiasts, network engineers, and IT professionals.

🔹 Pros:

• Free and open-source
• Easy to use with minimal setup
• Works great for network diagrams
• Self-hosting available for privacy
• Ready-made shape libraries speed up diagramming

🔸 Cons:

• Lacks advanced automation like some enterprise diagramming tools
• Limited shape library (but you can import your own)

Check out the self-hosted instance: https://sketch.habsi.net

Would I recommend Excalidraw? Absolutely! Whether you’re just starting with homelabs or need a simple but effective way to visualize your network, Excalidraw is a fantastic tool.

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