Alright, first for some background on my situation. I have the best gateway that comes in the game, fitted with the max cpu, memory, everything. I don't think there is any software I don't own, except proxy+ firewall disablers because I have the bypassers. I also have the highest version of everything I think. Hacking banks improves everything doesn't it? So I've accepted my first LAN mission, I'm Uber-skilled and have done every mission not requiring LAN experience available to my level. The mission requires me to delete files from a console, which I've done before on a non-LAN system, no problem there.
My real problem is just how to work a LAN. I first connect using an "internal" part of the company as my last bounce, set up my bypassers, keep the voice analyzer (with the admin voice) open for when I need to hack the main computer, then go to the LAN view. I see the router, run LANscan, then LAN probe on the router. After LANscan I can see and click on hubs, little computers, locks, nothing happens after LANprobe. On my LANview thing I try to press connect and nothing happens. I click all over the screen on different things and nothing happens. Obviously I'm missing one of the fundamentals of LANs here because I can't even navigate them and I've read other posts, web sites and they don't help. Also I've clicked on a lock and found the controller, but how do I disable it? I read somewhere tht I have to crack the password, and elliptical curve and that's fine, but how do you get to a screen to do that?
I know this is probably a real beginner question, but I registered because I was having fun with the other missions, but it is so frustrating not to be able to figure this one out. It would also have been great to be able to search the web site for tips, but I can't. Please help!

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Wasting my life away on computer games...

LANs are tricky, and no two LANs are the same, but there are some general rules for attacking them.

First, there's something you need to notice that you don't seem to be noticing. When you probe the different parts of the LAN, links to other parts of the LAN will show up. Clicking on a part of the LAN connected to the central router will tell the LAN that you want to route to or throught that part, and little animated dotted lines will be shown on that link.

To break a lock, you have to connect to the controller through the different parts. There's a button that says "Connect," and when you've routed to the Controller, press the button and it will connect you. From there, you can disable the lock. After you're done, just go back to the LAN Viewer and press the "Reset" button, and you'll be back to the main router.

You could also use LAN Force, but that alerts the sysadmin and you'll be disconnected. However, sometimes it seems to be your only option. You should then delete your logs and log back into the LAN. For some reason, the locks aren't re-connected or anything, so anything you do will still be there. This is good, because you'll usually have to connect in several times to get the whole job done. When you're on a LAN, it's easier to be traced. Trace Tracker does nothing when you're on a LAN, because it doesn't trace the LAN sysadmin who's trying to disconnect you from the main router.

There are also things called Subnets, which can stop you from routing through them. You need to use LAN Spoof to trick the Subnet into thinking you're connected, and then you can route from there.

LANs have several other parts also, but you can just play around and figure out what they are... They're really fun once you get the hang of them, and they're the parts of the game that require the most thought. After a while, they're the only non-storyline missions that are actually interesting... though destroying computer systems can still be fun...

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-Shenlon.
Keepin' it surreal.
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"Hehe. I fell in love with the female horse and the high-pitched male." - The Space Between

(This message has been edited by Shenlon (edited 07-10-2003).)

Also, check this site out (url="http://"http://www.macgamer.net/games/uplink/index.html")http://www.macgamer....link/index.html(/url) . It should be useful especially since, the search feature isn't up right now.

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Actually, you are probably experiencing a minor bug. I have the same problem sometimes in that the LanProbe will not show the connections like it is supposed to. Simply log out and log back in. Then reconnect to the LAN and try it again. That has always worked for me. I am hoping this is addressed in an update sooner or later, but we will see.

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"Always listen to the experts. They will tell you what can't be done, and why. Then do it."
- The Notebooks of Lazarus Long
There are things more annoying than using MS Windows... but I can never remember what they are.
-Me

Sorry Shenlon, I didn't read your post all the way through before. The only thing I can think of (other than it being a bug) is that you aren't running the probe on the HUB which, is the first box that shows up. From there, blue lines should sprout out of it and connect to the other servers. Anyway, your question is not at all amateur especially since, the Search button has been temporarily disabled due to excessive Ambrosia "download" traffic.

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I don't know what the problem was, I was using LAN Probe and no connections I saw in screenshots showed up. Then I logged in a few days later and it worked fine. Maybe it was a bug? Anyway it's good now. Tips for LAN hackers: buy everything then use it all on the first little thing (router?) you see. I think maybe I was using LAN probe on other parts of the network before using it on the fist router/ connection hub. Thanks for all the advice!

--Lin

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Wasting my life away on computer games...