Is it possible to install more than one DNI interface with 10 ports or is that the maximum allowed? If it IS the maximum allowed can you have use the DNI interface like a switchboard and have more than 10 connected devices share the 10 ports and cycle between the devices you want to use?

Is this in relation to Cyberware? Or Decking? *boggles*

Going off the top of my head, as I am at school and junk...

Cyberware needs a DNI adaptation to interface with the brain directly, and be controlled. Now, this can be accomplished in a number of ways:

1) The Datajack. The datajack contains 1 external port (the plug), 3 router plugs (to be hooked to cyberware devices, or headware), and 1 DNI port (the interface with the brain). This allows external devices to access the cyberware, or be DNI controlled if they are so capable.

2) Routers. Again, if something has a neural interface -- which is most commonly the datajack -- then it can be routed through and be used.

3) Actual DNI. If you do not wish an external connection, or do not want the device to be "in line" with the rest of the router network, then it can be given a DNI interface by iteself. This usually is best for devices that have absolutely no need to share information in the network.

Now, again, I warn: This is completely off the top of my head, and is somewhat of an abstract of what is in the CC rules. I am completely ignoring bandwidth, or other complications like that. This simplified version is basically how I play my game...

If you'd like, I can give more detailed DNI explinations when I get home, but more likely than not I will be beaten to the punch.

Athenor

To be honest, we don't bother with them. If they'd included routers and suchlike in the rulebook I'd have considered them essential, but they waited till a sourcebook came out - so what happens to those characters who by rights *should* have had them but didn't? They suddenly stop working like they used to, or the character has to get another implant? Nah, didn't seem fair. And since its a bit unfair to impose it on new characters created after we got M&M while the old ones are still in play, we've never revised our outlook.

Oddly, when creating NPCs or Cybermonsters I always stick to the full rules, routers and DNIs and all. Guess the players are getting a better deal on this one!

Basically, you can have as many routers (which is what I think you mean as opposed to DNI) as you have essence and cash. If you've got so many devices that you need more than 10 ports to share dataflow with them then, um, wow, but yes, you can have more than one.

BE sure you actually need more than one though. I'd rule that a pair of eyes with a display link actually only takes up one port, and if you have a smartlink attached to the router as well then I'd personally rule that the display information could piggy back that signal, since smartlinks come with a limited display link built into them, saving you one port. That would be a house rule though, before anyone jumps over me. I too, am without books at the mo, so it may be that you can't even attach a SMlink to a router but I see no reason why not if you had a tac-puter or wanted to record footage via the datajack or whatever.

*edit* thats not to say ALL the information from the eyes could come through the sm-link's signal, just the stuff carried via the display link *end edit*

You can daisy chain routers and datajacks as long as you have essence. I'd be mighty impressed if you ever need more than the standard 11 you get from a full router and datajack (accessories to something, like eye mods on cyber eyes all count as one point of connection). Prior to M&M, you could get most of the connections you'd ever need simply from the datajack. I mean, what did you need to connect? Your image link to your smartlink system and your headware to all three? Maybe some ear mods, too.

I can see it being an issue, (if playing by the rules saying you need one, which as i've said we generally don't) where you have someone wanting to link the lot out to feed into their battletac unit, so the master unit can compile info from as many sensory and data needs as it can.

But we use a battletac and comms system combo like a non-cyber tac-puter, so extra data - assuming its programmed to interpret the sense in the first place - can increase its effectiveness. I think that's how the one from SR2 was supposed to work and we've just not changed with the game (if the game has changed on this particular issue). If you weren't using this kind of set up then you wouldn't really need the routers as tinkergnome says.

If you had a cyber tac-puter as well it would certainly be worth thinking installing one about cos they often need more ports than the handful they come with and a router would work really well for that.