Finally finished with the crunchy part of my character, now I am getting into gear.. and questions are coming up. Help?

Commlinks:
- Response is how quick it processes, I get that, and System is tied to it (cant be higher than response). You cant run programs higher than the System rating. Other that this, do I have to pay attention to these numbers for any reason?

- How would I go about preventing someone from hacking my commlink.. say.. with Black IC? I was told it was possible, I am just having a hard time figuring out how

- If I connect with my Commlink via datajack, do I need AR Gloves, or subvocal mic, or any of the other add-ons? Wouldnt a plugged in Commlink with a Datajack and Cybereyes allow for automatic visualization and ineraction (when you wish to, via mental impulse) with AR?


IDs:
- A Liscense will allow you to 'legally' have any item thats restricted. They then have to be tied to a SIN, which is also probably fake. Is it really worth the hassle of getting a separate lisense for every piece of restricted gear, just to have it all linked to a SIN which could fairly easily be erased or compromised?

- How many and what rating of Fake SINs are 'typical'? I figured 1 for legal things (rent, bills, etc), and 2-3 for less than legal things... but the ratings is what I cant figure out.


Cyberware:
- I cant seem to find a piece of tech that was in previous editions, and am not sure if its necessary or not. Used to be you had a piece of cyber that would let you think of what to say, and you would 'say' it via a phone your plugged into or such. Kept you from having to have subdermal mic or speakers. I think it was a Mental Link or something?


Thats it for now, but I am still reading...

Yes - if you add a Sim Module to your set.


Using a commlink with DNI (datajack or external trodes) allows this without any further equipment.


Work out what the GM's houserules are on these because the RAW versions are craptastic.

Response:
- Is part of your matrix initiative in VR. (Response + Intuition, +1 bonus if in Hot Sim)
- Determines Agent, IC, and Sprite initiative. (Pilot + Response)
- Determines Matrix defense. (Response + Firewall)
- Used by Black IC if you try to jack out after it succeeds in hitting you. (Willpower + Biofeedback v. Black IC rating + Response)

System:
- Can't have more subscriptions than System x 2.
- For every [system] programs actively running, your response is reduced by 1.
- Limits the rating of your programs that you run on on that node.
- Determines your device's matrix Condition Monitor (System/2 + 8 ). This includes your persona as well.
- Is your Matrix armor. (System + Armor program).



To hack your commlink, the other person will be rolling Hacking + Exploit with a threshold = to your Firewall (or higher, if they wanted more access rights). Your commlink rolls Analyze (if it's loaded) + Firewall automatically every time they roll to hack your commlink (with a threshold of the hacker's Stealth program rating). If your commlink reaches its threshold before the hacker, it goes on active alert - it recieves a firewall bonus of +4 to every roll that uses firewall against that person. At this point, you'll be notified that someone is trying to hack your commlink's node. You can turn it off, or fight them, or launch IC, or reboot.



This is basically text messaging, using your mind. Since you plan to be hooked up to you commlink with a datajack, you're set.

The easiest way is simply to turn off your wireless signal, either manually or by installing a Skin link and running all your gear with the bio-electrical field of your own body.

And then get a nonstandard wireless link (see: Unwired) to communicate with the rest of your team.

-paws

I cant seem to find a skin link, what book is that in? I also flipped through Unwired and didnt find the nonstandard wireless link, though I was in a rush.

Should I still get some sort of IC for it? I figure if someone has my character in a spot where they can access the commlink directly, they can probably just directly mess with his cyber and other gear.

Not really...



Max out firewall, and get a agent equiped with black hammer.



If you use datajack or trodes you do not need anything else.



Thats now built into a datajack. If you read its description it will contain a description of two people having a mind to mind conversation using datajacks and a length of fiberoptic cable, for perfect privacy.

skinlink: SR4, p318

nonstandard wireless link: unwired, p196

Oh, thought the skinlink was cyberware. Would I still need to put IC on the commlink anyway, or would that remove the need for it?

Trying to be practical and defend myself, but not to be TOO paranoid. It would just really suck if suddenly someone hacked my eyes, turned them off, and then I was left with nothing to do (if you cant see it, you cant cast a spell at it, can you?).

With putting IC on them, do you have to buy each program that it is going to use (analyze, blackhammer, etc), or are there some sort of pre-made packages in Unwired? I briefly looked at it, but figuring out how to totally set up a worthwhile package of programs, which will work on my commlink (top of the line), is getting into stuff I have not quite covered yet.

Skinlink should suffice in most instances. IC never hurts, but its much less of an issue if they can't get to your link in the first place.

Of course, if your GM is out to hose you, no amount of reason and/or security will prevent it. You might be able to delay it, but evil GMs will, eventually, screw you if they want to.

-paws

As a GM, I try to abstract hackers messing with stuff like cybereyes, cyberlimbs, etc. Normally, I'll just apply a -1 or -2 dice pool penalty while the hacker is messing with stuff and be done with it.

Now, I could see a hacker turning off your eyes, but then, what, you need a free action to turn them back on via DNI? Again, more annoyance than anything else. They can't permanently shut your eyes down (at least not in my games) so its really just the annoyance or having to spend an extra action here or there...

Oh! I thought they could disable them for a length of time...

So much confusion....

Will probably just do the skin link and later upgrade if he decides to mess with me.

That's the thing...as GM, I keep telling my players not to spend so much time worrying about cyberware hacking. We have yet have a player attempt to do it and there has been no reason why I've needed or wanted to do it to a player. So, while a runner having a low firewall and no IC in their comm or cyberware is a risky thing in the game world, it doesn't cause any problems in-game until the GM starts screwing around with it.

I just tell my players that I'm not here to screw your characters but hacking your cyberware. If I wanted to screw with you, I have much more interesting ways to do it!