I'm sure this question has been asked and answered but I couldn't find it in any search. Maybe I'm just short bus special. I'm just wondering what the mechanics of bouncing off of other nodes to hack something beyond your signal rating are. Could you please give me page numbers for reference? Thanks for the help.

As I understand it, wireless is SR4 is a gigantic mesh network and, generally speaking, devices will happily repeat your signal for you. So in a city or otherwise reasonably developed area signal ratings are pretty much irrelevant. Only in dead-zones, wilderness, and at altitude does your signal rating really matter.
Will look for page ref.
edit: Not finding anything explicit. It's just how mesh networks work. It's implied on 217, when talking about perception.

On a related note, if you are trying to hack an item that is hardwired (as opposed to broadcasting a wireless node) can you hack it?

also

For technomancers, I've been told that if they merely make contact with an item (even a hardwired one) they can still hack it. However, I can't seem to find anything in the BBB that substantiates that.

Mark

Hacking something outside your signal range is another word for hacking via the matrix. Other nodes bounce signals passively. The wireless matrix depends on nodes passively bouncing signals to one another for its existence.

@black jack rackham: The suggestion that Technomancers can interact with technology through contact is not substantiated in the core. I do feel it is a rather nifty trick for Technomancers, and has an element of cool to it, so I personally would allow it. It is pretty much down to the GM at the moment though.

I've got something I can plug into it... giggity!

While sources will repeat your signal remember you have to somehow work out how to tell them where the thing your looking for is, and they have to communicate with it. For example if you wanted to hack someones smartlink on the other side of a building, you probably would have to use the matrix to find something within range and then hack it, and then use it to find the smartlink via electronic warfare and then you could hack it.

A more popular way is using tiny drones with higher signals .

Also if your GM is reality inclined you could try using a dish type device to focus in on their device at range. As I understand it the rational of why you can't communicate with a small signal device is that while a high signal device could send it information at range (Like someone with bad hearing still picking up on a large explosion far off) when they try to transmit back their signal gets lost in the noise (even someone with fabulous hearing couldn't pick out someone whispering in a loud crowd). A dynamically adjustable dish allows you to focus on a signal originating from a specific point. It not only amplifies the signal but largely cuts out all other signals. Of course you'd have to know range and such.

You only have to hack the nearest node if you haven't already gotten user access to that network. It's quite possible to have some nodes requiring a higher level of authorisation, but in general I'd permit a hacker who had already gained access to a system to utilise its full extent, accessing or hacking anything within range of the network. After all, the network has to be able to route normal traffic and while logged on he is treated like normal traffic, unless he is spotted and tagged by IC or security hackers as an illegitimate presence.

the issue here is how much of a pain in the ass the gm wants to be...

if he want to make a whole lot of extra work for the player playing the hacker he can demand the hacker keeping track of every signal bounce and maybe enforce a need to hack each bounce point.

if not, and its a urban area, at most it will take a matrix search to locate whatever target. given that said searh will take time, it may not be something to do if time is of the essence.

as for the TM hack with barely a touch. i would say it depends on the target being equiped with skinlink or not. if it isnt, and there is no wireless ability then i would say no.

all of this is imo.