PHILADELPHIA -- The red, white and blue balloons are filled, but a lot of wiring remains to be done just days before the opening of the Republican National Convention on Monday.

While workers put finishing touches on the stage Thursday and set up thousands of metal chairs for the delegates inside the convention hall, some news outlets had gotten electrical power only the previous day and many still lacked the necessary hookups to connect to their home offices or the Internet.

''All this stuff was supposed to be done Monday,'' said Terry Barrett, systems administrator for The Dallas Morning News.

Meanwhile, the Chicago Tribune was awaiting a fiber-optic hookup that would allow photographers inside the First Union Center to ship images to photo editors in the media pavilions.

''We anticipated five working days, and we're down to one-and-a-half or two,'' said Blair Ellin, senior network analyst at USA Today.

GOP convention planners said they were trying to get the problems resolved quickly. ''We're as concerned as anybody that people get ready and get operational,'' said Mike Miller, executive director of media operations.

The electricians' union, Local 98 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, is doing much of the wiring work. They're easily identifiable hurrying around the convention Center wearing T-shirts that say ''Republicans for a week.''

While old-line news organizations raced to set up, the much-ballyhooed Internet Alley where the online news organizations are grouped looked more like a dead end Thursday. Many of the booths were empty, and the few organizations that were there were still unpacking boxes.

''I'm blown away. Blown away,'' said Jeff Johnson, owner of Uptime Computer Services, which will provide a webcast of the convention. ''I was expecting they would be all set up today.''

Meanwhile, city officials said Thursday they are satisfied that they have done everything possible to prepare for the more than 45,000 Republicans, journalists and protesters expected to flood the city beginning this weekend.

''I think we are absolutely ready to host probably the biggest event we've had in a long time in this city,'' Mayor John F. Street said after a three-hour meeting with police. ''I've just gotten a renewed sense of confidence about this city's preparedness.''

Officers will begin 12-hour shifts Friday afternoon and switch to their convention assignments, such as joining increased patrols in the downtown shopping district.

Police faced their first test with activists Thursday, when a homeless rights group set up a tent city on a vacant lot. Officers took no immediate action against the group, which is trying to draw attention to the plight of homeless and poor families. Police had said they would allow an encampment if it did not disrupt businesses or block traffic.