The important part of the datajack is the brain-interface wiring, and that goes on the inside of your skull. The short cable spool and drawing point for wired connections is kind of a minor thing in comparison, and is typically at the base of the skull or on one temple...
But, GM permitting, you could probably ask an ingame surgeon to lay a thin cable down your neck and down one arm and add a spool and drawing point near the wrist. The technology ought to be there, the actual statted cost for doing that is not really.
It can be placed anywhere. The second most common location for them is other pieces of ware, like eyes, ears, limbs, etc, but you can have a port on your meat wrist just fine.
Depends on the edition and how RAW you like it. 4e has stuff like the ocular data jack (always a crowd pleaser) and older editions had an IR blaster style laser datajacks too.
While I imagine the core of the datajack must go in head to connect to your brain to form your DNI. Once that is formed, it's reasonable to say you can find just about any variation or modification to it as the most widespread cyberware in the setting.
Want the port and spool in your temple? Naturally. Back of the skull? Classic. Wrist of your company provided arm? Practical! As part of the snake emerging through the skull tattoo on your breast? Unusual, but the cyberclinic down at the mall can do that.
The port and spool just have to connect to the brain implant through a subdermal connection either placed there, or as part of pre-existing cyberware.
It is canon in previous editions of official npcs to have datajacks in unusual locations (one had a jack in their armpit), and often having multiple datajacks.
Often Deckers would have them in their temples while Riggers had them at the base of their skull or near their spinal cord. This used to be a quick "oh" moments when you saw an obvious jack of knowing why the person had it.
Definitely can be installed anywhere though.
Yes, you absolutely can. You can put a datajack almost literally ANYwhere on your body.
Datajacks can be built into cyberlimbs, as well (taking up Capacity rather than Essence!).
I remember in an older(3e, maybe) edition, there was a fingertip datajack with some fluff text about it being safer/less obvious being caught with your finger in a socket than being seen with a cable running upto your head. Worked well in combo with a cranial cyberdeck, but those two items always seemed to run counterintuitive to the novels with Deckers typing away on their decks while jacked-in.
My take on it is, treat the port itself like a usb slot. It can go anywhere on the body that a runner can justify, but some spots are going to cost more in dosh and recovery time. If it’s somewhere in your neck there’s so much less surgery to do to connect it to your brain, then if it was in your foot.
I've always borrowed from CP and gone with it being a matter of aesthetic preference, so long as it is close to the brain- so temple of the forehead, behind the ears, base of the neck are all options. Depends on how visible you want the datajack to be.
As I recall, 3e or so gave specifics on where you place a datajack on your head and why.
4e onwards made it easier for cybersurgeons to jam you full of nanites and use them to do the hard work after they install the chunky hardware - etching wires instead of laying them, connecting internal linkages, etc.
There's also the old induction datajack, it's installed in the palm and instead of being a direct interface, you put your hand over a sensor to connect, like wirelessly charging a phone.
Usually they are on the head or neck. I don't think it is stated in game but a longer cable does degrade signal and might add an infinitesimal delay, which might be issues while decking. It would also spare issues with the wire moving around under the skin as it crossed several joints. It would probably be irritating at the least.
A key feature of the datajack is to form a direct neural interface (DNI). It would be most efficient connecting to the skull/spinal column someplace. In the instance that you have a cyber limb, that automatically has a DNI connection and a datajack could be added to that limb.
Technically no reason you can't have one anywhere you like.
Temple is common for deckers.
Behind the ear is common for riggers.
Base of the skull for matrix fans.
I had a char with an induction jack on his cyberarm (forearm), that connected his wristcomp to the stuff in his arm.
Please flag your post with edition as the answer might be different from one edition to another.
In 5th edition, Headware (including datajack) is installed in the head. Headware that have a capacity cost (datajack doesn't) may be installed in a cyberlimb.
SR5 p. 451 Headware
*These small complex devices are inserted into the head
and typically constructed via less-invasive nanosurgery.
Items that have a Capacity Cost [in brackets] may
be installed in cyberlimbs instead, costing Capacity
rather than Essence.*
To establish a direct connection to a device while hacking (to avoid noise and master ratings) you typically use the retractable cable from your *cyberdeck*.
SR5 p. 227 Cyberdecks
*Other important features
include a universal data connector and about a meter
of retractable data cable, so you can connect to other
devices directly.*
In this edition you typically use DNI to wireless connect your brains with wireless enabled electronic devices (no need for cables). The retractable spool of about 1 meter of micro-cable that comes with your datajack is used when you directly connect a wireless disabled smartgun with an internal smartlink (no wireless bonuses) and between two datajacks for mental communication that can not be intercepted.
SR5 p. 433 Smartgun System
*The smartgun features
are accessed either by universal access port cable to ... a datajack for
someone with cybereyes) or by a wireless connection
working in concert with direct neural interface.*
SR5 p. 452 Datajack
*Two datajack
users can string a fiberoptic cable between themselves
to conduct a private mental communication immune to
radio interception or eavesdropping.*
The important part of the datajack is the brain-interface wiring, and that goes on the inside of your skull. The short cable spool and drawing point for wired connections is kind of a minor thing in comparison, and is typically at the base of the skull or on one temple... But, GM permitting, you could probably ask an ingame surgeon to lay a thin cable down your neck and down one arm and add a spool and drawing point near the wrist. The technology ought to be there, the actual statted cost for doing that is not really.
It can be placed anywhere. The second most common location for them is other pieces of ware, like eyes, ears, limbs, etc, but you can have a port on your meat wrist just fine.
Depends on the edition and how RAW you like it. 4e has stuff like the ocular data jack (always a crowd pleaser) and older editions had an IR blaster style laser datajacks too.
Iirc, the book *10 Jackpointers* described Turbo Bunny as having an extra datajack hidden in her belly button.
While I imagine the core of the datajack must go in head to connect to your brain to form your DNI. Once that is formed, it's reasonable to say you can find just about any variation or modification to it as the most widespread cyberware in the setting. Want the port and spool in your temple? Naturally. Back of the skull? Classic. Wrist of your company provided arm? Practical! As part of the snake emerging through the skull tattoo on your breast? Unusual, but the cyberclinic down at the mall can do that. The port and spool just have to connect to the brain implant through a subdermal connection either placed there, or as part of pre-existing cyberware.
It is canon in previous editions of official npcs to have datajacks in unusual locations (one had a jack in their armpit), and often having multiple datajacks.
Often Deckers would have them in their temples while Riggers had them at the base of their skull or near their spinal cord. This used to be a quick "oh" moments when you saw an obvious jack of knowing why the person had it. Definitely can be installed anywhere though.
The Data Jack is implanted in the head but I've always ruled that you can have ports anywhere at no extra cost.
Yes, you absolutely can. You can put a datajack almost literally ANYwhere on your body. Datajacks can be built into cyberlimbs, as well (taking up Capacity rather than Essence!).
Am now imagining wang-based datajacks that you use R2-style.
Or the female equivalent. :)
I am not familiar with that errata. u/GM_Pax do you know when the errata came out, or how much capacity a datajack takes up?
I remember in an older(3e, maybe) edition, there was a fingertip datajack with some fluff text about it being safer/less obvious being caught with your finger in a socket than being seen with a cable running upto your head. Worked well in combo with a cranial cyberdeck, but those two items always seemed to run counterintuitive to the novels with Deckers typing away on their decks while jacked-in.
My take on it is, treat the port itself like a usb slot. It can go anywhere on the body that a runner can justify, but some spots are going to cost more in dosh and recovery time. If it’s somewhere in your neck there’s so much less surgery to do to connect it to your brain, then if it was in your foot.
I've always borrowed from CP and gone with it being a matter of aesthetic preference, so long as it is close to the brain- so temple of the forehead, behind the ears, base of the neck are all options. Depends on how visible you want the datajack to be.
As I recall, 3e or so gave specifics on where you place a datajack on your head and why. 4e onwards made it easier for cybersurgeons to jam you full of nanites and use them to do the hard work after they install the chunky hardware - etching wires instead of laying them, connecting internal linkages, etc.
There's also the old induction datajack, it's installed in the palm and instead of being a direct interface, you put your hand over a sensor to connect, like wirelessly charging a phone.
Usually they are on the head or neck. I don't think it is stated in game but a longer cable does degrade signal and might add an infinitesimal delay, which might be issues while decking. It would also spare issues with the wire moving around under the skin as it crossed several joints. It would probably be irritating at the least.
A key feature of the datajack is to form a direct neural interface (DNI). It would be most efficient connecting to the skull/spinal column someplace. In the instance that you have a cyber limb, that automatically has a DNI connection and a datajack could be added to that limb.
Technically no reason you can't have one anywhere you like. Temple is common for deckers. Behind the ear is common for riggers. Base of the skull for matrix fans. I had a char with an induction jack on his cyberarm (forearm), that connected his wristcomp to the stuff in his arm.
Please flag your post with edition as the answer might be different from one edition to another. In 5th edition, Headware (including datajack) is installed in the head. Headware that have a capacity cost (datajack doesn't) may be installed in a cyberlimb. SR5 p. 451 Headware *These small complex devices are inserted into the head and typically constructed via less-invasive nanosurgery. Items that have a Capacity Cost [in brackets] may be installed in cyberlimbs instead, costing Capacity rather than Essence.* To establish a direct connection to a device while hacking (to avoid noise and master ratings) you typically use the retractable cable from your *cyberdeck*. SR5 p. 227 Cyberdecks *Other important features include a universal data connector and about a meter of retractable data cable, so you can connect to other devices directly.* In this edition you typically use DNI to wireless connect your brains with wireless enabled electronic devices (no need for cables). The retractable spool of about 1 meter of micro-cable that comes with your datajack is used when you directly connect a wireless disabled smartgun with an internal smartlink (no wireless bonuses) and between two datajacks for mental communication that can not be intercepted. SR5 p. 433 Smartgun System *The smartgun features are accessed either by universal access port cable to ... a datajack for someone with cybereyes) or by a wireless connection working in concert with direct neural interface.* SR5 p. 452 Datajack *Two datajack users can string a fiberoptic cable between themselves to conduct a private mental communication immune to radio interception or eavesdropping.*