all cisco 3600 series routers can be placed on a desktop or mounted in a rack. the cisco 3620 and cisco 3640 routers can also be installed on a wall. the location of your router and the layout of your equipment rack or wiring room are extremely important for proper operation. equipment placed too close together, inadequate ventilation, and inaccessible panels can cause malfunctions and shutdowns, and can make maintenance difficult. plan for access to both front and rear panels of the router.

    when planning your site layout and equipment locations, remember the precautions described in the next section, "site configuration" to help avoid equipment failures and reduce the possibility of environmentally caused shutdowns. if you are currently experiencing shutdowns or unusually high errors with your existing equipment, these precautions may help you isolate the cause of the failures and prevent future problems.