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One of the very frequent questions I get is about connecting two or more machines, or even networks, across the internet. The most common scenario is when traveling ... you're on the road, and you need to get at that one file that you left at home or at work, on a different computer. Enter "VPN"s, or Virtual Private Networks. VPNs are exactly what the name implies: a virtual network of one or more machines on top of a public network like the internet. When two machines join the same VPN, it's nearly as if they were next to each other. File and printer sharing, as well as other applications such as remote desktop, work like they would on a local area network - except the machines are separated, and connected only over the internet. I've talked about Hamachi before, in my podcast. Now, after actively using it for several weeks, I'm recommending it as a simple, quick, lightweight, and free VPN solution. It really is that easy.
To use Hamachi, you download and run a small client application from the Hamachi website. When this client runs, it implements a virtual network adapter, and you're given an additional IP address that identifies you on any virtual network you join. You then create a virtual a virtual network by name, assigning it a password. Now anyone running the Hamachi client can join your network by connecting to it by name, and supplying the password. It really is that easy. I now have the Hamachi client automatically starting on several machines, so that regardless of where in the world I am, if I'm connected to the internet those machines appear on my virtual local network. As an example, I frequently print things on a printer at my wife's business from home. In the past that's involved transferring the file to a mutually accessible location on the internet, then using remote desktop to connect to the remote computer, downloading the file, firing up the appropriate application and finally hitting print in that application. With both machines on the VPN, I simply print directly to the remote printer at my wife's business from the computer on my desk at home. What I'll call my acid test was a recent trip in my RV. The RV park has free WiFi, so naturally I connect up and do a fair amount of work when I can. This time, after booting up my laptop and connecting to the internet, I was automatically connected to my machines at home and the machine at my wife's business. I was able to remote desktop to a machine at home, copy files from a second machine there, and once again print directly to the business machine. All transparently. The VPN connection is encrypted for security. Aside from contacting the Hamachi server initially, to locate the members of your VPN, all actual network activity is directly peer-to-peer. In fact, if the Hamachi mediation server goes down, you remain connected, and can continue to use your VPN without a problem. Hamachi works across NAT routers, even if there are NAT routers at both ends of the connection. In nearly all cases it doesn't require any reconfiguring of the routers - no port-forwarding required. All machines running the Hamachi client are simply and individually visible, even if they are all behind the same router. So far I've run into one drawback to Hamachi. It does rely on that mediation server to establish network connections. That means if the server is down, while existing networks and connections will continue to work, new clients cannot join a VPN, and new VPNs cannot be created. For example if you reboot while the mediation server is down, you'll not be able to reconnect to your VPN until it comes back up. Fortunately this happens infrequently, and planned outages are announced in advance. There are other remote VPN solutions out there; Real VNC is one popular alternative. Similarly, other remote access solutions, such as GoToMyPC, are also popular. But for simple, inexpensive, and basic connectivity, Hamachi is working well for me, and I encourage you to give it a try. I've played with Hamachi exclusively on Windows, but versions for OSX and Linux are also available. Related:
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i have a hamachi and i dont know to use it. My game is company of heoros and i will it play online and i dont have online players in my hamachi how can add some!!!!!????please help me!!!
Hi! Pleas help me! Posted by: bellyman at November 16, 2007 09:19 AMHey Leo and Guys..I tried using Hamachi with my brother in South Africa and me in Greece. check this out..both PC's need a password in order to connect to each other otherwise you'll get a bunch of errors arising for no reason. this worked for me so try it out. put a password to your account eg: you log in as johnsmith without a password..go to user accounts in control panel and add it. Posted by: JayGreece at November 19, 2007 01:03 PMby the way you can use Remote Desktop Connection using the ip provided from Hamachi Posted by: JayGreece at November 19, 2007 01:06 PMVery helpful programme if your router is the proper one. I also want to use remote desktop (not only locally but also from the internet) and like steve and you say no need for port forwarding? What the biep? I have to forward that port otherwise I cannot connect from outside to my machine, also for FTP I have to forward a port to a local machine. It's also no nonsense no config nothing? Why do I then have to have extensive router experience to work with this programme? I was hoping that with this programme I didn't have to open any ports on my router anymore, guess again. 90, 95, 5 or 10 % ppl not telling they have a problem is not the same as the .5 percent that is telling you! Posted by: CRB at February 22, 2008 07:08 AMMy son has set up one of these Hamachi things on my computer. I am conserned that the host of this system will be able to pry into my files as the VPN is “like having two computers joined” -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Depending on how it's been set up it *could* have all the Leo -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE----- iD8DBQFH0YlPCMEe9B/8oqERAkHXAJ9TjegKt+QBIO4k8g99PmHn82sBTgCfYBUV Leo, I’m having a bit of trouble with the way Hamachi does some of their settings. For instance I had to redo my hard drive because the hard drive crashed. I lost control of my Hamachi server and can’t remove unwanted or older clients that joined that network. I know what the master passwords are and have tried many times to move my old account to the new server. I would like to regain control of an older server name that I like but that’s become impossible with the way they do business. It’s very irritating that they don’t go back or even have control of their own server so they that a user can put in a request to dump that server name and recreate it. If you don’t have the original config files you’re pretty much screwed. Back to the issues of putting in the passwords I have tried but the system tells me Error: Failed. Please check that target account is not premium, that it does not own or participate in any networks, and that source account is not using trial premium license. This is just the most irritating system I have ever had to try and use to get my site back. I’m a network Administrator. I’ve been doing system administration for a long time. If I ran my network and poorly as they seem to I would be out of a job. So I guess what I’m asking is have you ever run Int this type of instance and if so how did you fix it? Thanks! -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE----- Assuming I understand your question, no, I've not run into Two things to note: the "nickname" of a machine in Hamachi The only time things get interesting is if you lose Leo
iD8DBQFH/3v3CMEe9B/8oqERAsvnAJ9WGaiAt6/HTgpEd+i46MfzcOMXpQCfR+bt Well that’s the problem I think you are also going to run into, I have tried to re-gain ownership of my network and run into a brick wall on doing so. It’s become increasing difficult to regain access to it. Trust me I’ve tried several times and I have sent an email to Hamachi Support group asking for them to help. So far I’ve gotten nothing out of them except silence. This is the part that’s really confusing to me when I try to regain access to it gives me this error message. "That it does not own or participate in any networks” What exactly does this mean? Can I not be in my own room when I’m trying to transfer it? I’m confused about this part. And yes I can rejoin the group but the problem is I have no control over it anymore. If I need to remove some older clients I can’t. And after a while with other joining the room it can lock you down because you can only have a certain amount of clients in a room at one time. This is where the problem lies. I have no control over my own room so I can remove older clients that are no longer valid. Thanks Leo, I would really like to see how you get yours resolved if you do. I’ll be in checking in periodically to see if anything changes. You can reach me at this email addy if you figure it out. Thanks! Post a comment on "Recommendation: Hamachi - Simple Remote Access VPN":
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