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Abbandon
I need to know what kinda gear you need to track down RFID tags when you are trying to protect your own gear with them. Would they be more of a liability than an asset or does it depend on when you use them? Heres some examples:

A player a has a sports bike and he hides security and stealth tags on the bike. Whenever he is in control of the bike he would have those rfid's turned off?? Whenever he has to be away from the bike he turns them on. How easy/hard would it be for enemies to find the signals?

Lets say the bike then gets stolen or taken or whatever. how would the player go about tracking it down? Your not suppose to be able to kill security or stealth tags with a bug scanner right so would a bad guy have to physically search over your bike for it? Would the RFID's work if they were inside the bike.

On the flip side whats the best way to make sure your vehichle never gets stolen in the first place? Encrypt 6 and bio tests? Can you rig up booby traps like ramming a steel rod of the guys ass or electricuting him by having sensors activate booby traps?
GrinderTheTroll
Just a commlink with a large Signal rating. IF you know the RFID you are looking for it would be easy to spot.

EDIT
You can't turn RFID on and off, they are just little static things that react when you get in range. Different types act different ways, some passive, some erasable, some not, there are many flavors.

Bottom line is, if someone knows what RFID they are looking for they will eventually find it.
deek
Hmmmm...I am not sure I agree with that.

On page 213, it states that in order for two devices to communicate with each other, they must be within the weakest signal range. An RFID tag has a rating of 1 (40m) per the table on page 212.

So, the strong signaled commlink, could be probing for the RFID tag, but unless you are within 40m, you are not going to get any information back, thus, you're not going to find anything.

This is basically how RFID tags work nowadays...so my interpretation is, unless you are using a boosted RFID tag, in order to find anything by that alone, you have to track it to within 40m.

The other option would be, the matrix, now that I think about it. As long as the RFID tag was within 40m of some "portal" to the matrix, then that 40m limitation is no longer there, but you would be searching for it indirectly, via the matrix.

So, all someone would have to do is find a "dead zone" to put your stolen gear in and you will effectively not be able to pick up any signal...unless of course you get within 40m...
GrinderTheTroll
QUOTE (deek)
Hmmmm...I am not sure I agree with that.

On page 213, it states that in order for two devices to communicate with each other, they must be within the weakest signal range. An RFID tag has a rating of 1 (40m) per the table on page 212.

So, the strong signaled commlink, could be probing for the RFID tag, but unless you are within 40m, you are not going to get any information back, thus, you're not going to find anything.

This is basically how RFID tags work nowadays...so my interpretation is, unless you are using a boosted RFID tag, in order to find anything by that alone, you have to track it to within 40m.

The other option would be, the matrix, now that I think about it. As long as the RFID tag was within 40m of some "portal" to the matrix, then that 40m limitation is no longer there, but you would be searching for it indirectly, via the matrix.

So, all someone would have to do is find a "dead zone" to put your stolen gear in and you will effectively not be able to pick up any signal...unless of course you get within 40m...

You are correct. I didn't communicate my idea 100% correct.

You do indeed need to be within the signal of the RFID tag, my intention with the large Signal rating was that you could cover a larger area for scanning purposes, but it really would just need to match the Signal of the RFID tag you are interested in.
Abbandon
Hmmm what are all the possble ways i could make a motion sensor trigger a program to send my comm GPS data for my item??

A bike sounds very viable to do that but would it be posable for a gun.

Oh is there anything a mage could do to an object to put his signature on stuff so that he can track it down later. Stuff thats not a foci hehe.
GrinderTheTroll
QUOTE (Abbandon)
Hmmm what are all the possble ways i could make a motion sensor trigger a program to send my comm GPS data for my item??

A bike sounds very viable to do that but would it be posable for a gun.

Oh is there anything a mage could do to an object to put his signature on stuff so that he can track it down later. Stuff thats not a foci hehe.

No vehicle mod rules yet, but I'm sure you could rig up a commlink/transmitter to notify another commlink (the one on your head) when your bike starts-up and it's GPS coordinates.
deek
Yeah, I was thinking along the same lines...some sort of micro transmitter or commlink...something with a high signal rating...I mean, even if it simply sends an e-mail/status via the matrix to your commlink...something like that sounds easy enough to code yourself with little difficulty.

Unless someone was actively scanning for it, that would probably be a solid way to notify without the thief knowing.
Shadowboxer
you could track the rfid as long as it's not in a deadzone...wonders of the wireless matrix ^.^
the problem is you could get tracked too frown.gif
irinoxx
QUOTE (deek)
On page 213, it states that in order for two devices to communicate with each other, they must be within the weakest signal range.

Which, by the way, is total bs. Case in point, the Bluetooth sniper rifle recently displayed during some hacker convention (DEFCON I think), wich allows to hack bluetooth devices from a mile away. grinbig.gif
Moon-Hawk
Yeah, yeah, directional antennas, signal-to-noise ratio, blah, blah. I agree that all that good stuff would be more realistic, and in a game focused on electronic warfare it should be included, but would the rules really be worth the hassle?
irinoxx
QUOTE (Moon-Hawk)
Yeah, yeah, directional antennas, signal-to-noise ratio, blah, blah. I agree that all that good stuff would be more realistic, and in a game focused on electronic warfare it should be included, but would the rules really be worth the hassle?

Well, no need for very complicated rules. Just assume that a device can connect to anything within range, and ignore the part about "weakest signal".
Or don't, if you fear it unbalances the game. smile.gif
Moon-Hawk
My point is, being able to connect to a device within one devices range is no more or less realistic than only being able to connect to a device within both of their ranges. Both cases are oversimplifications, and neither one is accurate.
If you feel the need to change it, go ahead, but you're not adding realism, you're just making it differently unrealistic.
irinoxx
QUOTE (Moon-Hawk)
My point is, being able to connect to a device within one devices range is no more or less realistic than only being able to connect to a device within both of their ranges. Both cases are oversimplifications, and neither one is accurate.
If you feel the need to change it, go ahead, but you're not adding realism, you're just making it differently unrealistic.

This is absolutely right.
It all boils down to playstyle, and I like long range action in games I master (see thread about not being caught). nyahnyah.gif
Moon-Hawk
Oh, okay. I misunderstood your reasons for changing the rule, then. In that case, have a blast.
Demon_Bob
Security and Stealth tags have stronger signal ratings.

Still without the ability to echo the ping back and forth from several nodes the thief could still get it out of range of your com before you have a chance to notice it missing.

You could notify the local authorities, report it stolen, and give them the relevant info to let their system find it.
ShadowDragon
RFIDs should be able to broadcast to the matrix in the same way that commlinks do. If one person wants to talk to another person over signal 3 commlinks, do they need to be within 400m of each other?

That's a rhetorical question - the answer should be obvious.
deek
QUOTE (ShadowDragon)
RFIDs should be able to broadcast to the matrix in the same way that commlinks do. If one person wants to talk to another person over signal 3 commlinks, do they need to be within 400m of each other?

That's a rhetorical question - the answer should be obvious.

Point-to-point communication, yes.

Realize, with the commlinks, you are not just connecting to another commlink all the time, many times you are gong through your MSP (matrix service provider), so you just have to connect to that to get email and do your communications.

So, the signal 3 commlinks, yes, point-to-point, you do have to be withing 400m...but, if you go through the matrix, then no.

RFID tags on the other hand, are not broadcasting with the matrix...they are sending out signals for you commlink or scanner to pick up directly.
Moon-Hawk
Oh. I thought I remembered the book saying specifically that RFID tags do broadcast with the matrix, and they can be traced anywhere except a dead zone.
hobgoblin
could be that they behave basicly like some active mode node, and that part of their normal message is a call to a service like google maps to put a tag on their triangulated posision.
Moon-Hawk
Well sure. Every wireless device has to have a way to communicate its position. The concept of AROs absolutely requires this. The RFID is just like any other wireless device.
Abbandon
sr4 pg318 Tags can be used as tracking devices, periodically transmitting to local scanners or to the wireless matrix, though limited range makes them useless in deadzones.

Stealth tags...they cannot be located with a commlink or bug scanner(unless the passcode is known)

How difficult what it be to find a RFID signal in the freakign matrix through geez.

I guess stealth tags are what i wanted. They dont transmit until i try to contact them. Then if my bike or gun is stolen i can call it and it can report its position as long as its within range of the matrix.
Moon-Hawk
QUOTE (Abbandon)
How difficult what it be to find a RFID signal in the freakign matrix through geez.

Well, if it's your tag then you already know the address so it's trivial.
If it's not your tag and you don't know the address, then it's pretty much impossible. It's like saying "I'm thinking of a webpage, see if you can find it."
hobgoblin
QUOTE (Moon-Hawk)
Well sure. Every wireless device has to have a way to communicate its position. The concept of AROs absolutely requires this. The RFID is just like any other wireless device.

allso, the wireless matrix is buildt upon the idea of a mesh network. as in, every device will act as a restransmission point if needed.

send out a signal and it will in theory bounce from device to device until it reaches its target.

now how this is supposed to work in a forest of mobile devices that pop in and out of range i dont have a clue.
Moon-Hawk
I think you're supposted to stop thinking about it right before you get to the, "now his this is supposted to work..." part.
Abbandon
It doesnt seem like there is a way to defeat stealth tags. Remember the good ol days when you could jack a car to commit a crime? Now it seems like first you need to get by any electronic type of lock the car has, then break trhough any IC it might have to start it. And then if you tried to successfully stole it there could still be a stealth tag on it that you would have absolutely no chance of finding..

If a stealth tag can be accessed via the matrix doesnt that mean it would count as a hidden node ??
hobgoblin
yep, i think that a stealth tag would be very similar to, if not the same as, a hidden node.

and isnt there rental cars out today that have remote gps tracking and maybe even a mobile phone based kill switch?
Demon_Bob
QUOTE (Abbandon)
It doesnt seem like there is a way to defeat stealth tags.

If a stealth tag can be accessed via the matrix doesnt that mean it would count as a hidden node ??

There are various Wi-Fi blocking equipment available for garages,
As well as places like the barrens where Wi-Fi is practically non-exsistant.

It might mean that the car would have to be stripped to be made untraceable.

Can't see why some criminals would not a larger version of the Tag Eraser you could run an engine through. WARNING - May damage delicate computer parts and memory devices.

"Legit" Garages should have some way of finding or disabling RFID Tags left by a previous owner.

The discription of Stealth Tags do read like that of a hidden mode.
I do not see them being as such because a hidden node usually consists of several components quitely talking with each other. A Stealth RFID Tag is just one component waiting for a signal to act.
Shrike30
Hit the RFID with a strong enough electromagnetic field, and it'll fry. If you're really desperate, you could just use a can of wireless-blocking paint.
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