How To: LAN Gaming…Without The LAN
By Jeffrey | April 21, 2007
PC gamers are used to enjoying for years what console gamers are just getting hooked on: Internet-enabled multiplayer.
Of course, the advantage that consoles have is that you can have a bunch of buddies sitting in the same room playing the game, as well.
PC gamers have had the same ability, too, but it was always a huge hassle to pack up my desktop system, lug it over the somebody’s house, get it set up, and attempt to organize a game.
Still, it was a more enjoyable gaming experience than attempting to find even one other person you wanted to play with on an online server. With a LAN, you choose your competition.
And typically you are already friends with them, at least until the LAN party is over.
In this guide, I’ll show you how to have the best of both worlds.
What You’re Gonna Need
To be honest, if you have a computer and it’s running Windows - you do want to play games, right? - there’s only one thing you’re going to need to get a hold of. And it’s free.
Everybody will need to be running a copy.
So head over there, grab a copy of it, and get it installed.
Note: If you want to have access to other typical LAN features, like file-sharing, make sure you don’t check the box labeled Disable vulnerable Windows services over Hamachi in setup.
All you’re going to need is Hamachi Basic, but you can try Premium if you’d like. For our purposes, though, it’s not necessary.
Hamachi installs a pseudo-network card on your machine, too. You shouldn’t need to change anything related to it, though, unless you have a firewall issue come up (see below).
Getting It Set Up
When you first load Hamachi it will run a mini walk-through guide for first-time users. You can go through it if you want, but it’s not necessary.
As it starts up Hamachi will configure itself automatically. When it asks you for a Nickname you can choose whatever you want.
Note: You may run into an issue with Hamachi not being able to configure when it first loads. This is probably due to the Windows Firewall settings on the adapter Hamachi created on installation. To fix it, disable the firewall for the Hamachi adapter.
Now that it’s loaded the program will assign you an IP address on the Hamachi network. This is so other computers can find you.
The screen will look something like this:
Creating A Network
For the purposes of gaming, it doesn’t matter who creates the network.
Doing so is simple enough: on the bottom-right of the main window, select the icon labeled Create or join networks.
If you’re creating the network, select the option labeled Create a new network. That makes sense, right?
In the box that appears, type in the name you wish to use for your network, then create a network password. Make sure you remember it so everybody else will be able to join!
Here’s what I used:
Click Create and it should return you to the main window of Hamachi, but now your new network should appear with a green light next to it, like this:
Joining A Network
Now it’s time for the rest of the party to connect.
Make sure everyone knows the network name and password that was just created, then click the Create or join networks option again.
Only, this time select the option Join an existing network and type in the information created for the network, like this:
Click Join and you should be returned to the main window of Hamachi with the network now appearing. It should have a green light next to it, exactly like the image above.
If it doesn’t, double-check your Windows Firewall settings and make sure you don’t have Hamachi, or its network adapter, blocked.
If it does, you’re good to go!
Get Fraggin’
Now that everyone is connected you can load up any game and start playing over the LAN. It’s just that simple.
No more heavy equipment to move around, no more power meters spinning like a top, and no more nagging wives/girlfriends. Well, I can’t guarantee that last part.
Possible Glitches
Some games just don’t like to work well with Hamachi.
One of these games is Age of Empires III, a game I love to play.
Luckily, though, there is a workaround in the form of a loader program. It works by tricking AOE3 into using your Hamachi IP address as your LAN address.
Save the loader in your AOE3 directory.
Load the program, and under Enter desired ip address select Get Hamachi ip. Then click Start game and it should work fine.
Here’s what it should look like:
Everybody connected to the network will need to do this.
Other Uses
Hamachi is not limited to just gaming, though.
As you’ve probably noticed it loads, works, and acts exactly like a LAN. For all intents and purposes it is a LAN.
Because of this you can use it for anything you’d normally do on a network, including sharing files/printers. Although, I don’t know why you’d want to print on somebody’s computer far away, but that’s up to you.
Final Thoughts
If you just can’t it to work and need specific help, feel free to leave comment or e-mail me at:
Topics: Guides |
when i click get hamachi ip thw warning says that hamachi does not installed but i installed and it’s working
Posted by: karam on November 1st, 2007 at 9:01 amis there a loader program for “act of war” lice the on for AOE
I have a problem with hamatchi i cant ping my mate but he can ping me i get a Ping that is like sometimes 244 then the next min 32 then 263 and then up to 1234 and then it times out ect ect and i cant ping him ever i get a request timed out all the time and my windwos firewall has accepted hamatchi, Basicly i cant see his games and when we connect it laggs like hell who ever hosts the other gets the lag? please help
Posted by: Richard on August 13th, 2008 at 9:21 am