Hackers - sitting or running? Options

[Tseims]

Do hackers need to be with other runners or can they just stay home and hack the doors open for the other runners?

My group's hacker has been hacking quite cozily from a van that has an antenna that has Signal rating 5. We thought that the van only needs to be within 4km of the hacking target, but then I read this in SR4A p.222:
Signal represents the broadcasting power of the device’s hardware. The
higher the Signal, the farther the device can transmit. Signal ranges
and examples are listed on the Signal Rating Table. When two devices
are within the range of the lowest Signal rating of the two, they are
said to be in mutual Signal range; this is required for direct device-to-device
communication and for other applications.

So, imagine we had a run in a corporate headquarters. Would the hacker have to come with us to hack all the cameras, doors and such with Signal rating 2 OR would it be sufficient to park the van within 4km if the HQ had an antenna on top with Signal rating 5? How are buildings networked?

Also, is "bridging" (using different nodes to connect yourself to a node far away) connections allowed?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

There are two (or 3) ways you can hack...

1. Direct Hard Connection - Wired Connection, Signal Range is irrelevant.
2. MSR - Direct Connection wirelessly, MUST be within Mutual Signal Range.
3. Through the Matrix - The Target has a Matrix Connection, you can hack it through the Matrix; A Direct Connection (Whether Hard or Wireless) is irrelevant.

Many systems of import, though tend to not have a Matrix Connection, or only a limited Connection, so MSR or Direct is required.

[Daier Mune]

Ok, so can you have your cybersam infiltrate the building, and carry along a comlink that the hacker has access to, and get within MSR? or have the sam plug the comlink into the device itself, allowing the hacker to sit in the car while still maintaining a virtual presence with the group?

[Sponge]

Ok, so can you have your cybersam infiltrate the building, and carry along a comlink that the hacker has access to, and get within MSR? or have the sam plug the comlink into the device itself, allowing the hacker to sit in the car while still maintaining a virtual presence with the group?

Unless the building is painted with wifi-inhibiting paint or otherwise shielded from outside wireless signals.

[Tseims]

There are two (or 3) ways you can hack...

1. Direct Hard Connection - Wired Connection, Signal Range is irrelevant.
2. MSR - Direct Connection wirelessly, MUST be within Mutual Signal Range.
3. Through the Matrix - The Target has a Matrix Connection, you can hack it through the Matrix; A Direct Connection (Whether Hard or Wireless) is irrelevant.

Many systems of import, though tend to not have a Matrix Connection, or only a limited Connection, so MSR or Direct is required.

Does the connection type matter for hacking purposes? Is it harder to hack by Matrix than by wire?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Does the connection type matter for hacking purposes? Is it harder to hack by Matrix than by wire?

Connection type does not matter, but you MUST have a connection.
It is not harder to hack by Matrix than by Wire, in SR4.
In SR5, I believe that you have noise based upon Distance (which may effect Wires as well, I do not know, since I have yet to look at actually playing a Hacker in SR5).

[Udoshi]

Does the connection type matter for hacking purposes? Is it harder to hack by Matrix than by wire?

Offhand, it mattered more in older editions where you could suffer Response hits for hacking over laggy connections.

The only thing of that nature in 4th has to do with using satellites as relays in Unwired.

[Stahlseele]

Realistically, you need to be in the inclusive signal range of both connected systems.
As per the SR4 rules, this is actually not the case as far as i remember. You only need to have one in the signal range of the other for it to work.
So if you have a comlink with 1000m reach you can hack something that has a signal reach of 10m, if i remember correctly.

I still don't see how the wireless matrix is supposed to help with the stay at home decker.
You don't even need to jack in at the source anymore, seeing how you can build bridges.