The present disclosure is directed to systems and methods for communicating between rack mounted devices disposed in the same or different racks separated by distances of less than a meter to a few tens of meters. The system includes a CMOS first mm-wave engine that includes mm-wave transceiver circuitry, mm-wave MODEM circuitry, power distribution and control circuitry, and a mm-wave waveguide connector. The CMOS first mm-wave engine communicably couples to a CMOS second mm-wave engine that also includes mm-wave transceiver circuitry, mm-wave MODEM circuitry, power distribution and control circuitry, and a mm-wave waveguide connector. In some implementations, at least a portion of the mm-wave transceiver circuitry may be fabricated using III-V semiconductor manufacturing methods. The use of mm-wave communication techniques beneficially improves data integrity and increases achievable datarates, and reduces power costs.