How do I phrase this... That passage is written without considering the seriously edge-case situation we're discussing. AR and VR are ways to interact with devices and hosts, AKA, "the matrix". More than nine times out of ten, there's no reason you'd try to use AR or VR without being wireless. But consider this...
You know how you can hack a hardwired system, where everything is a throwback device wired to eachother? You still use AR or VR to do it even though it's cut off from the matrix, because that's how computers work in Shadowrun. AR and VR are ways to interface with the matrix and devices.
I see what you're saying.
I think I understand firebug's argument in saying you don't need to be "on the matrix" to directly jump in to a vehicle. If I do understand her correctly, I don't agree. Sr5 pg 241 lists Jump Into Rigged Vehicle as a Matrix action. No Matrix = No Matrix Actions, logically. You, your RCC, and/or your Vehicle you're directly jacked in to need to have contact with the Matrix to do a Matrix action, neh?
No, you don't. Editing a file is a matrix action. Are you going to argue that you can't write on your commlink when it's not connected to the matrix? What's needed is a device capable of performing the action, and a connection to a valid target. Normally this is done wirelessly via the matrix, but you can just plug into the device you are targeting. The reason a direct connection removes any Noise is because you can interface with the device without the matrix.
Honestly? Yeah, I think there is room to say you can't perform an Edit File Matrix action on your commlink without any Matrix connection... as the way storage is described for Commlinks that any data "on your commlink" is actually quite likely stored somewhere on a Renraku or Shiawase Server in some Data farm, out on the Sixth World version of the Cloud. Yeah, I'd expect that while inside an EM shielded vehicle you'll potentially have issues playing songs stored "on your commlink" while on stakeout or such.
But I take your what I think is your larger point about wireless comms. Should two people inside an EM shielded vehicle be unable to make a commcall between each other? I'd have to bring real world assumptions in about an intermediary Cell Tower being required to say no, whereas the rules do seem to suggest that a simple LOS broadcast directly between the two Commlinks could probably work.
Really, am I being that crazy by suggesting that turning off your wireless doesn't stop you from using wires to connect to things?
First of all, thanks for engaging in sincere discussion.
Second of all, no I have no issues with over-the-data-cable matrix comms. To reiterate for clarity's sake, yeah if the Rigger is directly jacked in to the EM Shielded Vehicle, he's able to transmit and receive Matrix comms through the faraday field by virtue of being hard-connected to the vehicle that is otherwise stopping Matrix signals from propagating through it. My issues are around wireless comms only. Specifically, whether wireless devices all inside a faraday cage can use matrix protocols to talk to each other in a sort of Mini-Matrix existing separate from the global Matrix at large. On reconsideration, I suppose maybe they can. The rules don't appear to insist upon the alternative.
While I wouldn't let a passenger inside an EM shielded vehicle perform a Data Search Matrix Action, but perhaps there's no RAW reason why they couldn't, by virtue of being able to communicate with other devices within the EM shield (arguably, so long as the Data desired is actually stored locally on a device physically within the same EM shield).