Just reading the comments here on the low D/F ratings of Commlinks / personal PANs and I agree that this doesn't seem to work well in practice. Yet the rules for hacking hosts seem to be largely workable. I think what missing is something in the middle, the equivalent of a protected home networking hub. I'll call it an Access Port for lack of a better term. I'm thinking of using this as a house rule... looking for comments... good / bad / unworkable?
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Access Ports
An access port is a device that is used to provide added security to home devices and commlinks. It does not have an A/S rating and can’t be used for illegal matrix actions. It can have physical storage (home media, etc) or be linked to cloud storage. They can only defend passively against matrix actions. They can be loaded with IC.
It has the same ratings (Device Rating, D/F) as a CyberJack but at 10% of the price (that may need tweaking).
It can only slave a number of devices (commlinks or other) equal to its Data Processing rating.
While normally fixed, it can be mobile as long as it has a power source. Vehicle mounts are common for security, law enforcement applications, and paranoid shadowrunners who don’t have a decker to support them. Maybe only rating 1-2 should be man portable (a laptop sized device), 3-4 in a vehicle and 5+ are fixed mount only.
Rules for noise apply in the connection between device and slave.
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I like this rule because it provide an option for enhanced security over the standard commlink, especially for security forces, but for also for shadowrunners and even Joe wage slave (while at home). An access port can be installed in a patrol car to provide reasonable level of security instead of relying on the commlink's pathetic security. It's also not perfect and can be defeated thanks to the rules for noise (jamming) and has limited range.
Thoughts.. comments.
