<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2006-11-07</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001101239</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>EQUINIX INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>EQIX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001104329</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CROSSLINK CAPITAL INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>TWO EMBARCADERO CENTER</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 2200</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SAN FRANCISCO</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>94111</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Affiliate of Director</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001242237</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CROSSLINK VENTURES IV HOLDINGS LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Affiliate of Director</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001242264</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CROSSLINK VERWALTUNGS GMBH</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Affiliate of Director</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001242229</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CROSSOVER FUND III MANAGMENT LLC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1></rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity></rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState></rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode></rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>1</isOther>
            <otherText>Affiliate of Director</otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-11-07</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>35000</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>69.8071</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>548822</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Notes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2006-11-08</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>36700</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>70.1367</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>512122</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>See Notes</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The reporting persons (the &quot;Reporting Persons&quot;) are Crosslink Capital, Inc. (&quot;Crosslink&quot;), Crossover Fund III Management, L.L.C. (&quot;Crossover III Management&quot;), Crosslink Ventures IV Holdings, L.L.C. (&quot;Ventures IV Holdings&quot;), Crosslink Verwaltungs GmbH (&quot;Verwaltungs&quot;), Michael J. Stark, Seymour F. Kaufman, James Feuille, David I. Epstein, Daniel John Dunn, Thomas Edward Bliska and Gary Hromadko.  Crosslink is an investment adviser to investment funds of which Crossover III Management, Ventures IV Holdings or Verwaltungs is the general partner, manager or the holder of Class B Units, and other investment funds.  Crossover III Management is also the investment adviser to investment funds.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">Mr. Stark and Mr. Kaufman are control persons of Crosslink.  Mr. Stark, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Bliska, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Feuille and Mr. Epstein are control persons of Crossover III Management.  Mr. Stark is a control person of Ventures IV Holdings and Verwaltungs.  Mr. Hromadko is a member of the Issuer's board of directors and serves as the representative of the Reporting Persons.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Crosslink, Crossover III Management, Ventures IV Holdings, Verwaltungs, Mr. Stark, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Feuille, Mr. Epstein, Mr. Dunn, Mr. Bliska and Mr. Hromadko are filing this Form 4 jointly and constitute a group, within the meaning of Rule 13d-5(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, but disclaim membership in a group with any other person.  These securities are held directly by investment funds to which Crosslink or Crossover III Management is investment adviser (the &quot;Funds&quot;) for the benefit of the investors in the Funds.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">These securities are indirectly beneficially owned by Crosslink or Crossover III Management as the investment adviser to the Funds, by Crossover III Management, Ventures IV Holdings and Verwaltungs as the general partner, manager or holder of Class B Units of the Funds, and by Mr. Stark, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Feuille, Mr. Epstein, Mr. Bliska and Mr. Dunn as the various control persons of those entities.  The Reporting Persons disclaim beneficial ownership of such securities except to the extent of their pecuniary interest therein.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Crosslink Capital, Inc. by Michael J. Stark, President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Crossover Fund III Management, L.L.C., by Michael J. Stark, Senior Fund Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Crosslink Ventures IV Holdings, L.L.C., by Michael J. Stark, Senior Fund Manager</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Crosslink Verwaltungs GmbH, by Michael J. Stark, Managing Director</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2006-11-09</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
