Hamachi

Hamachi is a tool that helps you create and manage virtual private networks.

A local area network or LAN is a network made up of two or more computers connected locally. The local connection may be facilitated by Ethernet or Wi-Fi, but what makes them local is that they don’t require the Internet. A virtual private network or VPN is modeled like a LAN but connections can be established over the Internet rather than locally. Hamachi is a tool that makes creating and configuring these VPNs simple, and you can create VPNs for temporary and long-term purposes.

Using a peer-to-peer or P2P protocol, Hamachi gives you an easy way to access routers, firewalls, servers and other computers over the Web. Exposing computers and other components like this via the Internet can be risky, but the Hamachi solution allows for secure communications. One way it achieves this is by only allowing authorized users to access the VPN. Communication from any non-authorized source is rejected. Additionally, all communication between authorized users is encrypted.

The interesting thing about a VPN is that it is a LAN for all intents and purposes. In other words, your computers and the other devices and services connected to your network will access and provide services to that VPN in the same manner they would an actual LAN. This means that you can file share, have access to printers and so forth just as if all PCs were in the same office.

Perhaps the neatest aspect of this for the average user is the ability to play games via a LAN when not actually connected via a LAN. Some video games only support cooperative and competitive play via a LAN, and by using a VPN, two friends on opposite sides of the country can play together. Even if a game supports Internet-based multiplayer, people can use a VPN created by Hamachi to take advantage of LAN-based characteristics, including privacy options.

Hamachi is simple to use. Even casual users will have little problem setting up and connecting to a VPN in order to play a game, chat, share files or whatever. Nevertheless, Hamachi is a powerful tool, and the VPNs it creates aren’t limited to two or just a handful of connections. In fact, businesses and other organizations can use Hamachi to create networks that support hundreds of connections.

Pros

• Create and manage secure VPNs
• Excellent alternative to LAN gameplay

Cons

• Doesn’t support some VPN protocols
• Subscription required for background use