Top 10 Hamachi Alternatives for Virtual Gaming (LAN)
Are you tired of the Hamachi emulator’s drawbacks and limitations? Well, if you are then look no further, as in this guide we will discuss the top 10 Hamachi alternatives which you can use for LAN gaming.
In case you are a gamer, you know that multiplayer gaming is an absolutely fun experience. It is even better when you are playing with your friends instead of some stranger out there on the internet. All of your friends are in the same room, sharing funny remarks over the microphone, instructing each other, and making the most out of the game in the process.
To do that in your home, you need a virtual LAN connection. That is where Hamachi comes in. It is essentially a virtual LAN connector that enables you to emulate a LAN connection by using your internet. As a result, your computer comes under the impression that it is connected to other computers through LAN. Hamachi has been the most widely used emulator for years among gaming enthusiasts.
Wait, why are we then talking about Hamachi alternatives? That is the question that comes to your mind, right? I know. The reason we are looking for alternatives is that although Hamachi is a great emulator, it does have its own share of drawbacks. On a free subscription, you can only connect a maximum of five clients to a specific VPN at any given time. That includes the host as well. In addition to that, users have also experienced latency spikes as well as lags. That is why it is necessary that users find good alternatives to the Hamachi emulator. And that is not a tough task either. There are a plethora of different emulators out there in the market that can serve as alternatives to the Hamachi emulator.
Now, although this is helpful, it also creates problems. Among these wide number of emulators, which ones to choose? This one question can get pretty overwhelming real quick. But you do not need to be afraid. I am here to help you with it. In this article, I am going to talk to you about the top 10 Hamachi alternatives for virtual gaming. I am going to give you every little detail about each one of them. By the time you finish reading this article, you will need to know anything about them. So, without wasting any more time, let us begin. Keep reading.
Top 10 Hamachi Alternatives for Virtual Gaming
#1. ZeroTier
First of all, the number one Hamachi alternative that I am going to talk to you about is called ZeroTier. It is not a very popular name out there in the market, but do not let that fool you. This is most definitely one of the best – if not the best – Hamachi alternatives out there on the internet which will help you to create your own virtual LAN. It supports each and every operating system you can find such as Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and many more. The emulator is an open-sourced one. In addition to that, a number of Android, as well as iOS apps, are also offered for free with it. With the help of this software, you are going to get all the capabilities of VPNs, SD-WAN, and SDN with just one single system. It is extremely easy to use, therefore, I would definitely recommend it to all the beginners and people with less technical knowledge. Not only that, you do not even need any type of port forwarding to use this software. Thanks to the open-source nature of the software, you also get the help of a very supportive community. The software comes with easy user interface (UI), amazing gaming along with other VPN features, and also promises low ping. As if all of this was not enough, you can even get some more benefits as well as support by paying for an advanced plan.
#2. Evolve (Player.me)
Not satisfied with simply the virtual LAN gaming features? Do you want something more? Let me present to you Evolve (Player.me). This is an amazing alternative to the Hamachi emulator. The in-built LAN support for virtually every loved and popular LAN game is one of the strongest suits of this software. In addition to that, the software also supports other excellent features such as matchmaking as well as party mode. The user interface (UI) is easy to use along with being interactive. It also contains a wide array of features apart from landed gaming. Not only that, but the software also supports live game streaming. However, do keep in mind that the earlier version of the software has been terminated on 11th November 2018. The developers have requested everyone in their community using it to gather at Player.me via their official website.
#3. GameRanger
Now, let us turn our attention towards the next Hamachi alternative on the list – GameRanger. This is one of the most widely loved as well as trustworthy Hamachi alternative that is definitely worth your time and attention. The unique feature of the software is stability along with the level of security they provide which is second to none. However, do keep in mind that the software comes with fewer features, especially when compared to other software on this list. The reason they could provide such a top-notch security level is that they do not make use of several drivers for emulating. Instead, the software strives to get to the same level through its client. As a result, the users get a very high level of security along with amazingly low pings.
Like every other thing on this planet, GameRanger too comes with its own set of drawbacks. While you can play any LAN game on the internet with Hamachi, GameRanger lets you play only a few numbered games that it supports. The reason behind this is for playing each and every game, support needs to be added to the GameRanger client. Therefore, check whether the game you want to play is supported on GameRanger. In case it is, there is hardly any better alternative than this one.
#4. NetOverNet
Are you someone who is searching for some sort of general solution for creating a virtual LAN to host private gaming sessions? Well, I have just the right answer for you – NetOverNet. With this simple but efficient software, you can easily connect several devices using the internet. Now, all the software I have mentioned up until now is designed specifically for gaming, but not NetOverNet. It is basically a simple VPN emulator. In addition to that, you can also use it to play games as well. In this software, every device comes with its own user id and password for a single connection. They are then made accessible in the virtual network of the user through an IP address. This IP address is defined in the private area. Although the software has not been made by keeping gaming in mind, it does show good performance when used for playing games as well.
Also Read: 10 Best Android Emulators for Windows and Mac
In addition to that, when you are using this client, you can also get direct access to remote computers. These remote computers are a part of the virtual network itself. As a result, you can then use the client to share data across all the systems. To put it in a nutshell, this is one of the very best alternatives to the Hamachi emulator when it comes to this particular aspect.
Keep in mind even on the paid advanced plan, the highest number of clients you can get is fixed at 16. This can be a drawback, especially if you want to use the software for public sharing. However, in case your goal is to host private LAN gaming sessions at your home, this is a great choice.
#5. Wippien
Are you someone who loves to play games but gets irritated by the unwanted bloatware that comes with it on your system? Wippien is your answer to that question. The software is exceptionally easy to use. In addition to that, the size of this software is just 2 MB. I think you can imagine that it is one of the lightest VPN creators out there on the market as of now. The developers have chosen to not only give it for free but also have kept it open source.
The software utilizes the WeOnlyDo wodVPN component for establishing a P2P connection with every client. This is the way the software establishes a VPN. On the other hand, the software works well only with Gmail and Jabber accounts. Therefore, in case you are someone who uses any other email service for registration, you should steer clear from this software.
#6. FreeLAN
The next alternative to Hamachi I am going to talk to you about is FreeLAN. The software is one of the most widely used as well as easy to use the application to create your own virtual private network. Therefore, it is possible that you are familiar with this name. The software is open-source. So, you can customize it for creating a network that follows several topologies that include hybrid, peer-to-peer, or client-server. In addition to that, it is possible to adjust everything as per your preferences. However, keep in mind that the software does not come with a GUI. Therefore, you will need to configure the FreeLAN config file manually for running the application. Not only that, there is a vibrant community available behind this project that is extremely supportive as well as informative.
When it comes to gaming, the games run without any lag whatsoever. Also, you will not experience any sudden ping spikes. To put it in a nutshell, the software is one of the most feature-rich yet easy to use VPN creator out there in the market that is a free alternative to Hamachi.
Also Read: Fix Hamachi VPN Error in Windows 10
#7. SoftEther VPN
The SoftEther VPN is a free as well as open-source software that is a good alternative to Hamachi. The VPN server software and multi-protocol VPN client works across all the platforms and is one of the most feature-rich as well as easy to use multi-conventional VPN programming software to host virtual gaming sessions. The software offers quite a few VPN protocols that include SSL VPN, OpenVPN, Microsoft Secure Socket Tunneling Protocol, and L2TP/IPsec within a single VPN server.
The software works with various operating systems such as Windows, Linux, Mac, FreeBSD, and Solaris operating systems. In addition to that, the software also supports NAT traversal. It optimizes the performance by using many techniques such as reducing memory copy operations, using full Ethernet frame utilization, clustering, parallel transmission, and many more. All of these together reduces the latency that is in general associated with VPN connections all the while increasing throughput.
#8. Radmin VPN
Let us now take a look at the next Hamachi alternative for virtual gaming on the list – Radmin VPN. The software does not put a limit on the number of gamers or users on its connection. It also comes with exceptionally high levels of speed along with low numbers of ping issues, adding to its benefit. The software offers a speed up to 100 MBPS as well as giving you a secure VPN tunnel. The user interface (UI), as well as the setup process, are extremely easy to use.
#9. NeoRouter
Do you want a zero-setup VPN arrangement? Look no further than NeoRouter. The software allows you to create as well as oversee private and public sectors via the internet. The client unblocks a limited number of websites by overriding the IP address of your computer with one from a VPN server. In addition to that, the software comes with enhanced web protection.
The software supports a wide array of operating systems such as Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, iOS, Android, Switches Firmware, FreeBSD, and many others. The encryption system it uses is the same as that used in banks. Therefore, you can definitely keep your trust for secure interchanges by using 256-piece SSL encryption over private as well as open systems.
#10. P2PVPN
Now, let us talk about the last Hamachi alternative on the list – P2PVPN. The software is developed by a single developer for his thesis instead of having a team of developers. The user interface (UI) is simple and easy to use along with the basic features. The software is perfectly able to carry out the task of creating a VPN efficiently. End-users can use the software. The best part is it does not even need a central server. The software is open source as well as written completely in Java for ensuring its compatibility with all the older systems as well.
On the other hand, the drawback it has is the last update the software has received was in 2010. Therefore, if you experience any bugs, you will have to shift to some other alternative on the list. The software is best suited for those who want to play any old-school game such as Counter-Strike 1.6 over a VPN.
So, guys, we have come to the end of this article. Time to wrap it up. I hope the article has provided with much-needed value. Now that you have the necessary knowledge, put it to the best possible use by selecting the best Hamachi Alternatives for gaming from the above list. In case you think I have missed something or if you want me to talk about something else. Do let me know. Until next time, stay safe, bye.
