Hamachi for Secure Network Computing
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http://live.pirillo.com/ – In the past, I have never really used VPN. It just seems so complicated and costly. However, using open wireless networks while out and about, I’m definitely concerned about privacy and safety.
My buddy WirelessPacket from our live chat room is on Skype with me tonight. He has convinced me that it’s time to try Hamachi. Hamachi is a free program that allows you to create your own Virtual Private Network, or VPN. He has made an excellent video tutorial demonstrating exactly how to use Hamachi. From his description:
“Hamachi is a simple, secure, and effective alternative to VPN. If you have ever wanted to access your home computer from the office, hotel or internet cafe look no further. With Hamachi there is no need to configure your firewall by opening ports and exposing you computer to nasty threats lurking on the web”
A standard VPN encrypts the traffic you send and receive… email, IM, web browsing, etc. A VPN makes your Internet activity more secure over a wireless network, but it’s also quite costly. Hamachi allows you to create your own VPN basically… for free! You can add other users to it, and share files with them in a secure manner. Some of the features of Hamachi:
- LAN over the Internet Arrange multiple computers into their own secure network, just as if they were connected by a physical cable.
- Remote Access Remote control any machine on your network with Remote Desktop.
- Files and Network Drives Access critical files and network drives.
- Zero-configuration Works without having to adjust a firewall or router.
- Security Industry leading encryption and authentication.
- Cost Effective Basic version is free to use.
Thanks, WirelessPacket, for showing this to me. This is definitely something I’m going to start using, and I hope others will, as well.
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16 Comments
News
June 7th, 2008
at 3:29pm
will be sniffing packets of information. This is what you need to be aware of when you’re connecting to the Internet via a wireless hotspot. One way you can help keep yourself safe is by using a VPN, or Virtual Private Network. One program, calledHamachiis free for personal use. I’ve been using it for awhile now, as you’ll see if you check out that link. However, I want to tell you about another program that one of our community recently emailed me about.
Zu presents: Elijah Bailey's Digital View
July 10th, 2008
at 11:31pm
Wireless Networks, Hard Drive Failures, Web Browsers How to Secure Your Wireless Network Wireless Routers Review Firewire Target Disk Mode How to Troubleshoot your Network Home Network Software Help Home Networking Tools, Tips and TricksHamachi for Secure Network ComputingChris Troubleshooting User Network Performance Issues
Rants of a loony toon
August 1st, 2008
at 9:15pm
the proxy itself. Virtual Private Networks are much more effective. And you CAN get them for free. FREE APPLICATION THAT CONNECTS YOU TO THEIR VIRTUAL PRIVATE NETWORK APPLICATION AND YOU REGISTER AN ACCOUNT AND CONNECT TO THEIR BASIC NETWORK (FREE)INFO ABOUT THE APP HAMACHI AND GUIDE TO USE IT, FREE FOR BASIC VERSIONGUIDE TO SETTING UP A FREE VPN IN YOUR OWN HOME You will be connected to the VPN. It will be fast because it’s private and not public like the manual proxies. And you don’t have to go to a specific website and type a url in each time. You use the
Windows Fanatics
October 16th, 2007
at 12:50am
is widely available. It’s no longer some new-fangled fad… and paying for it has become rather antiquated. The problem is, free doesn’t always mean secure. Thankfully, there are programs such asHamachito keep you safe. Hamachi is a free program that allows you to create your own Virtual Private Network, or VPN. Any time I am out and about, I rely on jiwire.com to point me toward any hotspots in the area. Simply input your country, state, and city,
Social Media
November 6th, 2007
at 3:23pm
is widely available. It’s no longer some new-fangled fad… and paying for it has become rather antiquated. The problem is, free doesn’t always mean secure. Thankfully, there are programs such asHamachito keep you safe. Hamachi is a free program that allows you to create your own Virtual Private Network, or VPN. Any time I am out and about, I rely on jiwire.com to point me towards any hot spots in the area. Simply input your country, state and
Jon Studer
September 5th, 2007
at 8:16am
Suggestion: Use https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm to get random generated 64 character passwords. This is how I setup my Hamachi. I also change the password once a month.
Jon Studer
September 5th, 2007
at 8:16am
Suggestion: Use https://www.grc.com/passwords.htm to get random generated 64 character passwords. This is how I setup my Hamachi. I also change the password once a month.
Nordquist Blog » Blog Archive » Hamachi - Zero configuration VPN
September 5th, 2007
at 8:53pm
[...] I’m not going to provide a ton of detail here because Chris Pirillo does a good job of that here. [...]
Mike Schneider
September 6th, 2007
at 7:28am
Chris,
I think you might wish to reconsider embracing Hamachi with such vigor.
Hamachi is indeed a lightweight VPN solution. However, it is closer to being a vendor supported P2P, with credentials stored at the vendor (Hamachi), and with peers having routes and links to your system. Unless your system is bulletproof, I’d be wary, since you can’t know what vulnerabilities/liabilities may exist in the closed source code. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Additionally, VPNs really aren’t that costly to erect, since many routers now support VPN. However, they do require some knowledge of what you’re doing to set up the host end with IPSEC and of course, managing the shared key(s).
– Mike
Mike Schneider
September 6th, 2007
at 7:28am
Chris,
I think you might wish to reconsider embracing Hamachi with such vigor.
Hamachi is indeed a lightweight VPN solution. However, it is closer to being a vendor supported P2P, with credentials stored at the vendor (Hamachi), and with peers having routes and links to your system. Unless your system is bulletproof, I’d be wary, since you can’t know what vulnerabilities/liabilities may exist in the closed source code. Of course, your mileage may vary.
Additionally, VPNs really aren’t that costly to erect, since many routers now support VPN. However, they do require some knowledge of what you’re doing to set up the host end with IPSEC and of course, managing the shared key(s).
– Mike
GizmoGuy
September 6th, 2007
at 12:56pm
Just a little correction. The bulleted items listed imply that the remote control feature is free. It is not. However if you care to run TWO programs, then you can use Hamachi for your file access, and use the “LogMeIn Free” software from their parent company for the remote control part. I’m sure it is a loop hole that they are aware of, so I’m sure there is nothing wrong with using both of their programs in this way. For me at least, both work together great!
GizmoGuy
September 6th, 2007
at 12:56pm
Just a little correction. The bulleted items listed imply that the remote control feature is free. It is not. However if you care to run TWO programs, then you can use Hamachi for your file access, and use the “LogMeIn Free” software from their parent company for the remote control part. I’m sure it is a loop hole that they are aware of, so I’m sure there is nothing wrong with using both of their programs in this way. For me at least, both work together great!
OldFatherTime
September 23rd, 2007
at 5:02am
I setup Hamachi and it all works just fine. I do however have on worry… If I close my Hamachi connection and exit from the program (not just minimize) there is a _constant_ flow of data out of my machine on the hamachi UDP port. The _only_ way to stop it is disable the hamachi network adapter.
And to top it all, if I try to register with the hamachi forums, I never get a confirmation e-mail – kinda majes u nervous.
W. Kirk Crawford
October 16th, 2007
at 7:26am
Lately my DSL modem is dropping my internet connection.
How to keep that working if I am not here.
W. Kirk Crawford
Tularosa, New Mexico
Donace
January 5th, 2009
at 7:02am
I would just like to point out the above commenter is not me and in now way associated with my site. If possible could you let me location / ip add etc that they came from.
Tuyre
October 30th, 2009
at 3:48pm
I just installed this on two PC’s. and yes they could see eachother whilst on distant networks… but when on my home network, other PC’s without the software could connect to them via ordinary Windows networking. Am I missing something… should other PC’s on a LAN not be able to communicate with those within the VPN unless they also have the client software installed? Doesn’t hit also mean that a hacker could also communicate over the LAN with Hamachi clients? Also i have seen nothing on the LogMeIn site that suggests that Hamachi will protect your wireless network as a full VPN will do? This software simply provides a tunnel over the Internet, but does not see to protect the local LAN at all!!!
Have you tested this before posting this rubbish?