[decPL]

Admittedly this is influenced by real-world computer logic, but my reading of the rules for direct connections is that the defining question reads "does the signal come in over the UDC?". Therefore,
Target<---- Wire ----> Deck
is no different from
Target<--- Wire --->[Wireless retransmission]<--- Wire --->Deck

I use something similar personally, but in this case (as opposed to wireless DNI) I'm pretty certain it's not RAW, so I consider it a house rule. It does resolve the 'no direct connection for TMs' issue though.

[Xenon]

The way i read it data tap seem to give you a direct connection to both devices the cable is connected to but only if you plug in your cyberdeck into the data tap with a wire. And that you can use it for wireless retransmission as well (which is great for a TM that wasn't too access a weird or throwback device or a hacker that want to hack a wired or throwback device while not being with his party), but in that case without a direct connection and without bypassing master ratings.

[Sengir]

I use something similar personally, but in this case (as opposed to wireless DNI) I'm pretty certain it's not RAW, so I consider it a house rule. It does resolve the 'no direct connection for TMs' issue though.

Like I said, this reading is influenced by real-world computing: Connecting to your cellphone via USB grants access with far less limits than connecting the via Bluetooth, the logic being that plugging in a cable shows you are in physical possession of the phone and are not some hacker sitting in the neighboring room. But whether the device at the other end of the cable is just relaying data sent from elsewhere does not matter to the phone, in fact it doesn't even notice.

But on a strict reading, such "tunneling" may indeed not work in SR.

[RHat]

I use something similar personally, but in this case (as opposed to wireless DNI) I'm pretty certain it's not RAW, so I consider it a house rule. It does resolve the 'no direct connection for TMs' issue though.

Like I said, this reading is influenced by real-world computing: Connecting to your cellphone via USB grants access with far less limits than connecting the via Bluetooth, the logic being that plugging in a cable shows you are in physical possession of the phone and are not some hacker sitting in the neighboring room. But whether the device at the other end of the cable is just relaying data sent from elsewhere does not matter to the phone, in fact it doesn't even notice.

But on a strict reading, such "tunneling" may indeed not work in SR.

I use something similar personally, but in this case (as opposed to wireless DNI) I'm pretty certain it's not RAW, so I consider it a house rule. It does resolve the 'no direct connection for TMs' issue though.

Like I said, this reading is influenced by real-world computing: Connecting to your cellphone via USB grants access with far less limits than connecting the via Bluetooth, the logic being that plugging in a cable shows you are in physical possession of the phone and are not some hacker sitting in the neighboring room. But whether the device at the other end of the cable is just relaying data sent from elsewhere does not matter to the phone, in fact it doesn't even notice.

But on a strict reading, such "tunneling" may indeed not work in SR.

Of course, data sent through wireless transmission could have different headers for the sake of routing, which would allow a device to tell the difference.

If we're to follow the "that way lies madness" line of applying real computing to the Matrix in any edition, that is.

[Sengir]

Of course, data sent through wireless transmission could have different headers for the sake of routing, which would allow a device to tell the difference.

For tunneling, you would take the wired data, headers and data and everything else completely unmodified, and then transmit it as the payload of a wireless packet. It may be possible to detect the extra delay or other side effects of the tunnel (which might also be caused from a cheap knockoff commlink on the other end...), but what arrives on both ends is completely unmodified.

Of course, all that is assuming you want to go down the road of real networks

[RHat]

I'm not sure if that methodology would be viable for a mesh network like we have in Shadowrun, though - once you hit wireless, your data scatters to the four winds pretty much, not being in the same place again until it hits the endpoint.

Of course, I haven't really read the papers on the subject of mesh networks, so I really don't know.

[Namikaze]

All this theorycrafting is wonderful, but the Matrix of Shadowrun is a magical fairy land of makebelieve.

[Anarkitty]

Given the way it is described, a modern (5e) Datajack appears to be a combination of a data cable reel and external antenna for your internal DNI.  Same as attaching an auxiliary antenna to a wireless router to boost signal range.  At least that is how I interpret the description.
Trodes are similar, essentially a hair net with a battery pack.  You can connect it to your Deck with a cable, or just connect wirelessly from the Trodes to the Deck.

Nothing says they aren't wireless, and the book makes it clear that everything is wireless unless otherwise noted (throwbacks, etc.).  Even Bone Lacing is "wireless" even if it has no game effect there are feedback sensors and stress load monitors that all have wireless connectivity worked into the titanium strands for quick diagnostics and status reports.

I fall on the side of the debate that says wireless DNI should be entirely acceptable.  There is nothing in the rules to prohibit it, and the fluff supports it.
This comes with downsides though, as if you are wirelessly connected to your Deck (even if you have it on you) and you get hit with a powerful jammer it could generate enough Noise to break your connection to your deck and forcibly jack you out and cause dump shock.  That risk becomes much greater the further you are from your deck, and the Noise between you and your Deck should stack with the Noise from your Deck to the Grid.  You also lose the ability to manually reboot it if you are link-locked.  It should be a rare situation for the Decker to try to hack when their deck isn't in their hands, just because of all the downsides.  Everything has a price.

There are tactical purposes I can think of for  using a Deck remotely: If you have to leave your bag with Security when entering a building; Hacking remotely from a cheap throwaway deck to rack up OS and intentionally instigate convergence at a location you are not at; Letting someone else sneak your deck into a secure building to direct connect to something.

However, most of the time it is just a bad idea.

[Finstersang]

Establishing a Wireless DNI is possible, because Interfaces and (Digital) Connections are not the same Category:

A DNI is an Interface: A mean of translating the Signals of your Body - in this case, your "Brainwaves" - into Code your Devices can interpret. Its like using a keyboard and mouse, or click-blinking with your AR-contacts, or using subvokal commands etc., just faster. So if you get yourself some gear that can establish such a connection - like a Datajack or Trodes - and attach it properly on (or implant it into) your Body, you can switch that gear to wireless mode and remotely communicate via DNI with other wireless Devices like your Commlink or RCC - Just like you would use a wireless keyboard or mouse with your Computer.

A Wireless Connection is a mean of connecting  a device with other devices (which can be also your the interface gearpieces of your choice).

So as long as Catalyst doesnt explicitly state that you cant use a Commlink/Deck/RCC remotely or that you cant use a DNI for Wireless connections (because, I dont know, the new Matrix Protocols forbidd it?), its safe to assume that you can. 

[PiXeL01]

In other to do that trick then either a datajack or a cellphone would be needed, right? You need to have the device either in your possession or part of your PAN. How else would you be able to transmit the signal that allows you to communicate with your device stored elsewhere?
 Having your deck slaved to your phone wouldn't be the smartest idea. It would reduce functionality quite a bit. And if you are using a datajack to form DNI with your remote deck then you can't have DNI with your phone or pan formed by it.
The question is then how far can device be apart and then still be a part of a pan formed by a phone or deck? The deck, having the better antenna the answer would be 100 meters or even more but the phone?

[firebug]

I'm surprised no one has brought up the absolute BS that is that RAW, even without a DNI (using just other wireless things like AR gloves and glasses) the decker could use his deck from a distance while the stealthier/beefier/more magical members of his team bring it in and plug it into whatever they need him to hack for a direct connection.

This'd be possible if there's any way to wirelessly use your deck--  Which there has to be since you can use AR to control it without having to touch it, without DNI.  If the decker's just sitting in the van outside then he shouldn't be far enough away to worry about noise--  At least not more than he'll be able to overcome with noise reduction.  So as long as the decker can just hand someone his deck, he doesn't need to enter the building.

Meanwhile TMs still can't make a direct connection at all...

[Hibiki54]

guys, what the hell are we even arguing about here?
this is SR5, everything is wireless, including your underpants, can of coke and your trode net.
Of course you can leave your stuff elsewhere and connect through it, you're just subject to noise; which as anyone who has seen the noise table will confirm, is a really bad idea.

This. Players and GMs have always talk about or questioned ways to protect their expensive equipment. One way is to slave it to your Commlink so your Cyberdeck or RCC can hide behind it. In most cases, a player would have both their commlink and RCC/Deck on them to avoid noise, but there are times when such isn't the case.

If a Rigger decides to leave his RCC in the van and slave it to his Commlink, it works because he has a DNI to his Commlink to form his Matrix Persona and he is using that to control his RCC. A Rigger accessing via commlink can also Hot-Sim as long as his Commlink has the Simsense module add-on. The limiting factor of slaving an RCC to a Commlink is that the commlink cannot run cyber programs and is subject to noise distance between the two depending on how far the RCC is from the runner. Through your commlink using the control device action, you can change programs on your RCC and do what your normally do using your RCC. The ONLY limiting factor is noise, which cannot be reduced between commlink and RCC.

Example - Ziggler the Rigger decided to leave the safety of his Van and join his crew directly, he made the choice of leaving his precious RCC and slave it to his commlink instead. Taking a couple Steel Lynx and Fly Spy's, he has no issues once he reaches a distance of 100m. But he soon starts to suffer noise penalties as the group gets further from his ride and deeper into a forest up ahead. It has dense foliage, so he suffers a -1 noise penalty for the distance from his RCC and -1 for the dense foliage for a total of -2. His partners hack open a vehicle bay door and they begin to descend into a fortified bunker. Ziggler is starting to have problems because of the thick concrete and steel structure, he is suffering an additional -3 penalty for the 15m thick bunker walls leaving him with a grand total of -5 to all his dice rolls when controlling his drones. He sacrifices running programs to boost his signal strength, now wishing he brought the RCC with him instead.

[decPL]

I'm surprised no one has brought up the absolute BS that is that RAW, even without a DNI (using just other wireless things like AR gloves and glasses) the decker could use his deck from a distance while the stealthier/beefier/more magical members of his team bring it in and plug it into whatever they need him to hack for a direct connection.

This'd be possible if there's any way to wirelessly use your deck--  Which there has to be since you can use AR to control it without having to touch it, without DNI.  If the decker's just sitting in the van outside then he shouldn't be far enough away to worry about noise--  At least not more than he'll be able to overcome with noise reduction.  So as long as the decker can just hand someone his deck, he doesn't need to enter the building.

Meanwhile TMs still can't make a direct connection at all...

We have a special name for this absolute BS around here; we call it teamwork. Or in GM-leetspeak: allowing two separate players a significant piece of spotlight at the same time.

And I still believe noise (jack/trodes <-> deck) should apply in this situation, so this shouldn't go completely out of hand. Plus - looking at the section on how building security is designed, you can guarantee some wireless prevention in any secure area. If this is possible (and I claim it is by RAW), then surely some countermeasures are being actively employed (again, reading the GM section I believe they already are, just that not everyone takes this into account when planning runs). Not to mention that given the price of a deck, most deckers would probably be quite reluctant to leave it for a considerable length of time. And if your player is not, make sure he looses one when drek hits the iFan (or at least make sure he understands that this is an option).

[Michael Chandra]

If the Decker isn't in the building and the target is inside a Faraday Cage, with sharp auto-closing doors so even datacables aren't possible... "Okay, we're here, let's pl- what do you mean we just lost wifi?" "Faraday Cage, mate." "But, there are two patrols between us and the Decker!" "We're boned."

As for TMs, the easily-made datatap-ruling is a nice solution to that.

[Xenon]

If the Decker isn't in the building and the target is inside a Faraday Cage, with sharp auto-closing doors so even datacables aren't possible... "Okay, we're here, let's pl- what do you mean we just lost wifi?" "Faraday Cage, mate." "But, there are two patrols between us and the Decker!" "We're boned."

While inside the cage you would probably also lose comms with your decker on the outside...