Not having your image link/smartlink and PAN connected to the matrix at all seems a little counter-intuitive. Sure, it's "secure", but it's also like pre-emptive amputation of an arm, so that it doesn't get cancer.

I think there's ways to get pretty solid network security without just having things not connected to other gear, and through the PAN, the matrix. You have two commlinks, an active fake, and a hidden beefed comlink. You don't use the active com for anything but calls and purchases related to it's fake sin. The hidden commlink is hardwired to have only an admin account, it has a R6 Firewall, a R4 IC running Analyze, Trace/Attack, and everything in your PAN has wireless turned off, but is still connected via your hidden commlink bottleneck. That's pretty secure, but you are still eligible for AR bonuses for things like Hackers sending you triangulated opposition positions to reduce blind fire mods, etc. Not to mention that a hacker can ride a team-mates commlink, and watch through the team-mates cyber-eyes, or maybe even a sim module. Then the hacker might also be able to make perception tests, or one of my favourites, use another team member as a relay.

But I wouldn't isolate my display link and smartlink from my PAN, I think that the loss of utility is greater than the security gained.

There is no reason why you cannot run two separate PANs. One could use Skinlink, and connect various things like your datajack/'trodes, smartlink, eyes or contacts, etc.

The second could be wireless, connecting a commlink to an image link in the glasses. No need for DNI or anything, as you can still manipulate the commlink manually. Your smartlink and other skinlinked accessories are more secure while still maintaining wireless interaction with the rest of the world.

We once had a hacker hack onto a hostile's PAN and blast Queen's "Bicycle" at full volume. The GM imposed a -2 penalty to everyone on the PAN for distraction...so that was effectively a force 2 chaos spell targeting only the baddies. And, yes, I think the next step was to hack the troll's cybereyes.

But we've quit the whole matrix thing...takes soooooo looooooong. We have a hacker NPC. We ask if he can do something, and the GM says yes or no.

Sounds like SR 1 and 2 era. SR3... I dunno, haven't played enough of it to get a feel for it, but it seems to be about the same.

While I haven't yet played SR4 at all (yet), I get the feeling that SR4's Matrix rules are an improvement over previous editions. That doesn't mean they're smooth, seamless, and/or speedy, but it looks quick enough that the rest of the group won't feel obligated to go on a snackrun or take a smoke break while you're doing your matrix thing.

As to what a Hacker or Technomancer can do? Well, like magicians, that's kind of up to the GM. If the GM wants to let them run roughshod... well... I guess that's their thing.

Personally, I plan on making a clear distinction between the rare hacker god, the script kiddies, and Joe Pedestrian when my campaign (finally) gets under way.

If you use SR4 matrix rules with no mods (even with a couple popular house rules) they are in fact smooth, seemless and speedy, IMO. But, you still have an issue when the hacker wants to "explore" an unknown node. Even if you just have an entire corporations network as one node, there are so many things a hacker could possible due or get information on. And let's just say he spends 12 seconds in there. At 3IP, that's a total of 12 passes the hacker is rolling. That could easily be 10-15 minutes of game time where the GM is one-on-one with the hacker...

Same thing happens with Astral Recon or anything that moves the game into combat turns. Unless everyone else is in combat turns as well, the table gets bogged down...

In my game, they're just as powerful as I need them to be (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)

Seriously, the team's technomancer is a wiz and as we learn the rules better the character will only get better. The player has learned quickly that the most important thing I watch is the number of subscriptions the techno has available/in use. In fact, it astounds me to think about someone with one of the bottom-end commlinks trying to access a node that is halfway around the world. It must be slower than dirt (IMG:style_emoticons/default/nyahnyah.gif)