Hamachi

Introducing Hamachi

Hamachi is a popular tool whose sole purpose is to create multiple virtual private networks between multiple computers. In simple words, this application connects two or more computers in a virtual local network over the Internet. You can do that regardless of the capacity of the network. People use it at home and even at work. VPNs have lots of benefits. We can exchange data between two or more computers without third parties stealing it, but we can also reduce costs during the same process.

A convenient method for creating virtual local networks

Hamachi is not a new program. It has been available for download for more than a decade already. Back then, most users took advantage of this app and its features mainly for gaming purposes. I know I did. Nowadays, Hamachi provides users with secure access to specific computers on the network from any location. And it does all these great things without requiring us to modify firewalls or network routers. As you can see, the convenience is there.

Decent data protection and easy to use

It also features encrypted communications to improve security. The user interface brings a basic layout, and you can access all its features from there. If you have any networks added, they will show up in the main window so you can connect to them. If you don't have any available networks, you can jump to the Network tab, where you can create your computer network or join an already existing one. All the available computer networks require a password. The technology inside Hamachi lets you create private networks between computers without adjusting settings for the firewall and router rules and configurations.

Encryption and three network types

In terms of security, the communication done inside the VPN is secure and private using AES 256-bit encryption. These encryption algorithms make it very demanding for third parties to know with high accuracy what type of data flows between the machines communicating through the VPN protocol. Hamachi supports three types of networks: Mesh Networks, Hub-and-Spoke Networks, and Gateway Networks. It does this for flexibility, allowing users to decide what works best in their specific scenarios.

How Mesh and Hub-and-spoke networks function

A Mesh Network has all its members connected. This type of connection is for those without a physical LAN. While some organizations use this type of network, the mesh architecture works best for gamers due to always having to update data between all other participants in the game. Hub-and-Spoke Networks require that one or more computers serve as hubs, while every other machine connected to the network serves as spokes. What does it mean? In lame terms, a computer hub is a server, and a spoke is a workstation. Let me give you an example. In a Hub-and-Spoke network, the hub/server stores essential data, so the spoke/client/workstations can connect to it to use that data. Thanks to this design, it's easier to manage and control the connections and the roles between members. However, if we set every member of a hub-and-spoke network as a hub/server, the network becomes a Mesh.

What is a Gateway network and some app limitations

When it comes to Gateway Networks, their role is to offer transparent access to a whole network from a primary Hamachi gateway. One computer becomes the gateway towards the entire LAN, while the other computers are like clients. All these networks allow different adjustments and configurations. The free version of Hamachi allows up to five members inside a network, but if you want to increase this limit, you will have to pay for a subscription. This software works well, allowing us to adjust various settings to make the most out of the available feature set.

Download Hamachi for Windows