  Comprehensive measurements of dc and ac susceptibility, dc resistance,
magnetoresistance, Hall resistivity, and microwave absorption and dispersion in
fields up to 8 T have been carried out on RuSr_2GdCu_2O_8 with the aim to
establish the properties of RuO_2 and CuO_2 planes. At ~130 K, where the
magnetic order develops in the RuO_2 planes, one observes a change in the slope
of dc resistance, change in the sign of magnetoresistance, and the appearance
of an extraordinary Hall effect. These features indicate that the RuO_2 planes
are conducting. A detailed analysis of the ac susceptibility and microwave data
on both, ceramic and powder samples show that the penetration depth remains
frequency dependent and larger than the London penetration depth even at low
temperatures. We conclude that the conductivity in the RuO_2 planes remains
normal even when superconducting order is developed in the CuO_2 planes below
\~45 K. Thus, experimental evidence is provided in support of theoretical
models which base the coexistence of superconductivity and magnetic order on
decoupled CuO_2 and RuO_2 planes.
